In the Hour Before Dawn
by silverfoxpunk
Summary: When Stefan leaves with Klaus, Damon takes Elena on an island holiday to help her recover. But when Stefan returns to the boarding house in a pool of his own blood, Caroline makes a decision that has far reaching consequences for them all. Adult themes
1. Satin

**Hi there - I warn you now, this story is going to be totally mental and will cover everything and every character. Maybe even a couple of pairings you don't expect. There will be sex, death, bloodletting, threesomes, slash, the works! All the key characters will be in here somewhere - eventually. Ultimately its about Damon and Elena, but there will be chapters about Stefan too and what he gets up to (and who he gets up to it with).**

**This first chapter is plenty lemony... and is a hint of what is to come. **

**If you want to follow me on Twitter, please do - I am silverfoxpunk. I chat about what I am reading and writing and vampire stuff I am watching. I may give some hints of where this story is going too!**

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

**Satin**

For two days she said very little. He mostly sat with her, or made her coffee, or tried to get her to eat. Neither of them felt very positive. Stefan was gone and it seemed hopeless to try and find him until he gave them some sense of where he was.

On the third day, he knocked on his brother's bedroom door. He let himself in and she was still in bed. She seemed to be retreating inside herself. He sat down beside her and felt for her hand.

"I'd like to take you away from here, just for a little bit." He said, but she shook her head.

"No, I ought to be here."

"That's what cell phones were invented for. I promise, if he calls, or anyone else who says that they have seen him, I'll bring you back right away."

"I can't just leave. I can't just run away." He got up and walked to the door.

"Please, just think about it."

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><p>The book was Stephen King's latest, something light and engaging which didn't require anything other than his ability to be entertained, but despite that he still couldn't concentrate on it. He kept playing his shifting relationship with Elena over and over again in his mind. He had re-read the same passage of the book three times and still hadn't taken in a single word, so he was almost grateful when he heard Elena's light tap on his door.<p>

He got up and let her in.

She walked past him into the centre of his room, wearing the same clothes she had done for the past three days. She had her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Finally she turned to face him. Her face was the picture of every emotion he could imagine.

"You'll come?" He asked. She nodded, her eyes telling him that she had a thousand reasons not to, but she needed it more than anything.

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><p>On the plane, she was quiet. She looked out of the window and had to be asked three times for anything the stewards needed her attention for. He left her alone, even though he wondered why they had bothered with the first class luxury she was failing to enjoy.<p>

Never mind, at least they were away from their respective houses, both filled with memories and a bitter sense of loss. At least now, her eyes wouldn't fill with hope any time any Tom, Dick or Sally came to the door.

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><p>He walked outside to get her, but paused when he saw her silhouetted against the setting sun. Her slender body was dressed in a bright turquoise bikini and orange floral sarong she had bought at the airport. How impossibly beautiful she looked, even when shuttered in grief. He continued towards her, his heart aching with the longing that he had long since grown used to suppressing.<p>

"Enjoying the sunset?" He asked quietly so as not to startle her, for she was lost in her thoughts.

She nodded, but without warning tears came and although she brushed them hurriedly away with the heel of her hand, her pain could not be hidden. He moved slowly to her side and put his hands on her face - brushed the tears from her cheeks. He looked at her, his love undisguised and intense when he knew it should be otherwise. She turned and stumbled back into their shared suite, her arms defaulting to their preferred position of being wrapped tightly around herself. He kicked himself mentally and went after her.

"Elena…" He called out, but she had retreated to the bathroom. He rested his forehead against the door. "Elena please come out. Come and talk to me."

"Leave me alone, Damon."

There was no malice in her voice, just tired resignation. He tried the door and found it unlocked. He suspected she wanted him to follow, even if the admission was subconscious. He entered the stylish bathroom - all polished slate and tile in muted shades. It was decorated with a vase of exotic orange flowers whose tropical brightness reminded them how far they were from Mystic's familiar streets.

She was sat on the edge of the Jacuzzi bath, her head held low. He took one of the flowers from the vase and went and crouched in front of her. He rested his free hand on her knees; she didn't look at him.

"Come outside with me."

He looked at the flower in his hand. It was so vibrant, so eyecatching - whenever he came into the room his eye was drawn it - it reminded him of her. He pushed the stem into her hand and she took it reluctantly, resting it in her lap. She refused to let her eyes meet his. He raised himself up and sat beside her. "Come on. Take a walk with me." Eventually, when she didn't reply he took her hand and lead her slowly from the bathroom.

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><p>He took her down past the end of their garden, onto the white sand of the hotel's private beach. She clutched at the stem of the flower he had given her while her other hand rested tentatively in his.<p>

He could sense her reluctance to be present, to live in the moment. He didn't want that for her. She was too young to have a life ruined by grief. Walking her to the water's edge they let the sea drift across their feet. Maybe the sensation would help bring her back to the world. Maybe...

For a while, it felt good just to walk in comfortable silence, he didn't want to push her to open up to him even though he knew he wanted her to. She was holding so much in. He took her beyond the boundaries of the hotel's private beach and on to the more crowded public beach. The sun-seekers were packing up for the night and drifting back to their hotels just in time for happy-hour. The sun's glaring heat had passed and had settled into a mellow, tropical warmth. Sounds of the night began to fill the air; from the music and chatter of the exclusive beachfront restaurants, to the gentle sound of the tide washing over the sand.

Elena paused, looked up as if she had only just noticed that they were here together walking along the beach.

"Are you cold?" He asked her. She shook her head, then willing took his hand again.

They continued on until they reach a jetty. The fishermen who sat there in the day had long since gone. Together they strolled to the end of it and sat down with their feet dangling above the water, feeling the rough wooden slats beneath them. They looked out to the distant horizon and the lights of cruise ships.

"Thank you Damon, for bringing me here."

"You're welcome." He said, he tried not to let his concern show on his face. He paused for a while, then thought it was time he opened up the Pandora's box to see what came out. "It's okay, you can talk about him you know. I know how much you miss him."

"Do you miss him too?" She asked. He thought about that for a while.

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"Will he come home?"

"I don't know. Maybe." He never sugar coated the truth with her. He felt she deserved better than that. She fiddled with the flower in her lap. "Elena, can I ask you something?" He said suddenly. She looked at him and nodded. "If you love him, why don't you want to turn for him? You know that's what he wants. He's crazy about you."

"I just want to live my life for a bit. I meet this amazing guy, it turns out he's a vampire, and suddenly my life is upside down and I'm in this whole mess, and I just don't know who I am anymore. Who am I, Damon?"

He looked at her, his eyes capturing the light.

"To him, or to me?" He said, cautiously.

She got up suddenly and he watched her examine the flower in her hand.

"Damon, I never wanted to mislead you. If coming here was a mistake, then..."

"No, its fine." He had to change the subject, this was too damn painful. And worse, it made him think of Katherine, '_it was always Stefan_'.

She didn't speak. He let the silence grow until it became comfortable again. The sea breeze blew on their faces and the water appeared threaded with silver reflections from the glow of the enormous moon that had taken the place of the sun. A fish leapt from the water, she saw it and almost smiled, which in turn made him smile.

"Do you think Jenna would have liked it here?" She looked down at him quizzically, surprised that he would even have asked her that. "Tell me about her." He continued. "What was she like when you and Jeremy were growing up?"

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><p>She had sat down again, and they talked for a while until she gradually opened up. She told him that she worried Jeremy would go back to drink and drugs, that she was afraid they were both flunking school and that she couldn't sleep at night for thinking about all the legal paperwork waiting for her back home. She said she was worried because she hadn't yet turned eighteen, and that meant another legal guardian for them both. It was clear to him that losing Jenna had brought rushing back all the grief and loss she felt at her parents passing. In particular, she missed her mom, and felt bereft without the presence of a strong, nurturing woman in her life. In short, she felt she was cast away at sea without her anchor, Stefan, who was possibly in the greatest trouble he ever had been. She felt dead inside, she said. Dead and buried. It grieved him more than he cared to admit it to hear her say that.<p>

Finally she stood, and after a moment she carefully dropped the flower he had given her into the water and watched it float away. She turned her back on it, and began to walk back to the hotel.

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><p>It was late, how late was hard to tell. The moon lit up his room like a nightlight and had done for hours. He lay awake with his arms behind his head - his mind refusing to let him rest. He reflected on the supper they had eaten in the hotel; it was seafood cooked to perfection, with a thousand little chef's flourishes that underlined the hotel's status as the best on the island, but Elena had eaten on autopilot. He doubted she had tasted a single thing.<p>

He left his French windows open so the night air would fill his room and drift over his body. The scent of evening honeysuckle entered in, its perfume heavy in the air. Since they had arrived it was like all his vampire senses had magnified. He ran his hand over the pristine, white sheets and brought his fingers to his nose - he couldn't just smell the powder they were cleaned with, but could identify the person who had made his bed. He didn't know why. All he knew was that without even concentrating, he could smell a barbecue from the hotel over a mile away.

As the scents of the brazier, meat, fish and herbs lingered, he realized that this is what he could do for Elena. No-one was more qualified than him in enjoying the delights the world had to offer. He made a decision not to rest until she experienced the island with all of her senses, until she was alive in every way possible.

Just as he formulated his plan, his hearing picked up that Elena had left her bedroom. He pulled a sheet over the lower half of his body in an instinctive reaction to her wandering around their shared suite. Even so, he was still faintly surprised when he heard her pad barefoot over to his door and gently knock on it. Before he could answer, she opened the door a crack and peeped in. He raised himself off his pillow and looked at her. "Hello?" He said simply, his intrigue at her coming to his room so late registering in his voice.

She walked into the room and came over to his bed where she perched beside his feet. His senses were so fine-tuned to her usual scent, that he knew straight away had she used a different body creme to normal. She wore an expensive looking pink satin short set that clung where it touched and her chestnut hair was neatly tucked behind her ears. The camisole had a little tiny bow in the middle, which drew his attention to her chest. He tore his eyes away.

"I couldn't sleep. I thought you may be awake too." She said. He tried to take his mind off how little those lace trimmed shorts left to his imagination by offering her a drink - a safe go-to response when a visitor was in his room.

"Would you like a nightcap?"

"Sure, why not."

"Hmm, you may have to get it yourself - unless you don't mind gratuitous nudity." She gave him a half smile.

"I'm sure I can manage." She got up and found the drinks cabinet, negotiating bending carefully without revealing more than she intended to. As a gentleman he tore his eyes away (perhaps a second later than he ought).

She fixed them both vodka tonics and brought his glass over to him, the ice clinking as she walked. They touched glasses as was customary, then drank in silence. Maybe it was the hour, or maybe it was because he felt rather more naked than he was entirely comfortable with - but he could swear blind that she was feeling more confident in this situation than he was.

Elena moved around the bed and climbed up beside him. She sat with her back resting against the elegant headboard and sipped the remains of her drink, occasionally casting her eyes towards him. He tried not to notice that the satin clung to her body like a survivor to a shipwreck. The cool air in the room had hardened her nipples and they showed through the fabric with insistence. He was so confused. He was expectant, anxious and aroused all at once. He turned away and tried to think calming thoughts. Eventually he felt it was safe to look at her again, but as soon as he met her big brown eyes, his stomach turned somersaults. He wished he just had the presence of mind to send her away when she first arrived, because having her here like this was hell.

Suddenly she leaned over and took his drink from him which she placed on his beside table. She looked at him then moved closer, got up and straddled him, leant back onto his hips and pinned him beneath the sheet.

"Elena -" he began with worry in his voice. God, he wasn't made of stone. He had to tell her she needed to leave. Right now.

She pushed a fallen strand of her dark hair back in place behind her ear and looked at him, her face deadly serious. He returned her gaze, his eyes expressing in equal measures his shock and hope. The next thing he felt was her lips on his. They were as soft as a peach. Her hair fell forward and tickled his chest like a thousand silken threads. He didn't know what to do with his hands, he wanted to touch her but he was afraid that if he did, it would ruin everything because when she changed her mind - which she surely would - he would feel bad. But far from changing her mind, she was leaning down and kissing him again. Her embrace both sweet and tentative. She placed her hands gently on his chest as she leaned into him. When he barely responded she paused and looked into his eyes, wondering why he wasn't kissing her back. Her fingers trailed down to his stomach as she leaned back. He was scared to react. He needed to know what had changed.

"I hurt in so many ways," she said by way of explanation, "but the way I feel about you - it only hurts when I deny it." She blinked back tears. "I need you, Damon, and I love you. I don't want to hide that any more." She traced a line across his navel. "This is the one thing in my life I can change. And I want to, because I want to be with you. And I know you love me too."

Her face was a mixture of emotions; desire certainly, but also relief at admitting to herself what she had long since known, but kept buried. He could sense she was nervous too, perhaps scared that he would reject her and tell her to leave.

She seemed to make a decision then. And although she was almost visibly shaking with nerves, she leaned back and slowly pulled the camisole from her body, dropping it to ground so that her long, beautiful hair spilled over her shoulders as she did so. She was stunning. From the curve of her breasts, to her navel which peeped above the rim of her satin shorts, she was absolutely perfect. She looked again at him anxiously, her chest rising and falling with anxious breaths, wanting to see in his eyes what she hoped was there.

He didn't need any more encouragement. He reached up for her and slid his hands around her waist until he was pulling her down to him for a long, deep and desperate kiss. He let one hand wind through her sleek hair and the other he slid down her back to her behind, which he gripped firmly and pulled her against him, his hand sliding beneath the satin and on to her warm flesh. His body quivered beneath hers, his senses took all of her in.

He couldn't believe it. At long last she was with him, and wanted him as much as he wanted her. It felt like his body was on fire, but he was still a little afraid that she would change her mind, so he let her set the pace. Her kiss became urgent as her body pressed down against his. She eventually pulled her lips away from him and began to use them to trail kisses down his chest. He breathed hard. She moved her legs so she could pull the sheet away from what it barely covered already. He was straining hard to be inside her. At that moment, he wanted nothing else.

She took him into her mouth and he arched his back, his body growing rigid and his muscles taut. She didn't hold anything back. She gripped him with her hand and used her tongue, slipping it around him, up and down his shaft until he moaned. She took him again into her mouth, taking him all in, then ran her hands up and down his glistening, moist skin, tugging and putting pressure on when pressure was needed, then tracing lightly with her finger or her tongue when it was not. At one point she caught his glance and smiled at him as best she could, and he nearly came right there and then.

Seeing him so caught up in what she was doing gave her almost as much pleasure as it did him; he was so lost in the sensations she was giving to him. She licked, stroked and sucked him to the absolute edge, and he writhed and gripped the sheets in response. The unrestrained, guttural sounds leaving his throat shocked them both. In her hands he felt exposed; his reaction to her unexpectedly truthful. He coveted her affection, touch and love more than anyone, even his once beloved Katherine.

He was losing control and threatening to come. She sensed it and moved back up the bed so she could kiss him. As she lay on top of him, their legs intertwined, he pushed down her satiny shorts in one easy movement. She straddled him once more, and guided him into her. As she slid onto his length and he was finally inside her, both of them cried out. She was so wet, she almost came. She placed both her hands on his abdomen and began to move, rocking her hips gently, back and forth, back and forth.

"Do you know what you do to me?" He half whispered, half growled as he grabbed her thighs and elevated his hips from the bed and pressed into her. Soon her gentle movement wasn't enough for him. He could stand it no more and flipped her onto her back, wanting to be as deep inside her as he could.

She wrapped her legs tightly around him, sighs escaping her lips that let him know when to push harder, or when to move slow and teasingly. He took his weight onto his arms, and she traced her hands over them and behind his neck, pulling him down for kisses, sighing into his mouth as he moved inside her. It took a lot of his self-control to withdraw from her body, but he wanted to slow things down and give her at least half as much of the pleasure as she had given him.

He took each of her breasts into his mouth one by one and licked at the hardened nipples. Teasing, sucking and flicking his tongue until he made her writhe with satisfaction and cry out for him to be inside her again. Instead he kissed her body, letting his lips brush what his hands then kneaded, until he had covered every beautiful part of her, from the tender skin of her armpit to the soft sweet place on her hip that made her shiver when he brushed across it. The deep musky smell of her arousal sent him into the stratosphere. Her femoral artery pulsed wildly beside him, but he was so caught up in her body, that he barely noticed. Between her legs he took her into his mouth and tasted her, a thousand senses overcoming him.

As his tongue flicked across her mound with increasing intensity she came, her legs twitching, her toes extended. He pushed his fingers inside of her and let his thumb take the place of his tongue and she came again, rolling her shoulders back into the bed and grabbing at the pillows either side of her head until she begged him to stop because she couldn't take it any more.

He moved back above her, kissed her long and deep, and then entered her once more. His tongue explored hers as her hands pulled him ever closer into her body. He slipped his hand between her legs as he thrust inside of her, rubbing at that sweet bundle of nerves so she would come again at the same time as he did. Being so close to her, and seeing her respond to him like this meant he couldn't hold back any more, and he came himself with a cry. She called out his name as she came with him for the third and final time - her body trembled with ecstasy.

He collapsed, remaining inside her, their legs entangled, their bodies glistening. She was glowing, her cheeks rosy from the exertion. He kissed her throat gently. It was a minute or two before he could formulate words again, but when he could, he knew what he had to ask her.

"Elena, please just tell me. Tomorrow, does all this go away? Because I'm not sure I can handle that." She shook her head slowly.

"I wouldn't do that to you." She said. He felt the relief immediately. He pulled closer into her arms. "You didn't change..?" She said, surprised. "I thought you would."

"I feel human around you." He said in an unguarded moment, then immediately regretted his honesty. She knew he wished he hadn't said it, so she held him even tighter and planted a dozen small kisses on nearest bit of him she could reach.

"I am happy I do that for you." She said. "I want to be there for you, like you have been for me."

He made a sound that suggested she was being overly generous. He had hurt her many times.

"You _have_ been!" She argued.

"Apart from the times when I hurt you."

"Well, I hurt you too." She said. He went quiet. "Okay then, so let's make a pact." She suggested. "Clean slate. From this moment on."

"I can do that." He said, then eventually gave her a look of mild concern. "Don't you want to sleep?" She shook her head.

"No, I've slept enough. I don't want to waste another minute of my time with you." He shifted to make them both more comfortable, but kept her in his arms. He looked into her eyes and felt himself smile. He leaned against her forehead and their noses met tip to tip.

"I want to know you Damon. The real you I mean."

"Sounds like a bad idea."

"Just tell me one thing about yourself that I don't know." She insisted, brushing her nose against his. He sighed good-naturedly.

"Okay. One thing. What do you want to know?"

"What was your favorite thing to do when you were human?" He leaned back on his pillow as he thought about that.

"Well, I always liked music." He said. "My father thought music was a pointless, frivolous affair - the pursuit of silly women. But my mother, who loved music too, let me take lessons whenever he was out. I guess that's where I got it from. She had a good voice. Sometimes we'd sing together."

"What can you play?"

"Piano, violin to some extent. And I can hold a tune I suppose. Later, I learned to play guitar after a brief but torrid time I spent in Cuba in the sixties. And then there was a misspent flirtation with a Goth band in Seattle." He shook his head with a smile as he remembered that.

"A Goth band!" She giggled. "Where you any good?"

"You said 'one thing'. That's two." She snuggled back into his arms and he kissed the crown of her head. "I still can't believe you are here." He added. "I keep expecting to wake up."

"Kiss me," she said, "and I'll prove it to you."

He did so willingly and soon one kiss lead to another, and very soon he was moving inside her again.

As the sunrise bled through his window, she came with a happy sigh. He stroked her face and whispered to her that he loved her. She fell back onto the pillows, but he took her hand and encouraged her to stand.

"Where are you taking me?" She said, reluctant as he tried to lead her from the bed. "My legs are shaking."

"Just to the window."

"Damon, I need a shower." She complained.

"Just for a minute. Please, come watch the sunrise with me." As she was surprised at the request, she let him lead her towards the window. She stood in front of it with him behind her, and he wrapped his arms tightly around her body and placed his cheek against hers. "I never miss a sunrise if I can help it."

"Really?"

"We aren't supposed to look into the eye of the thing that should kill us. I treat it with the respect it deserves."

She examined his hand which had the enchanted ring on it and ran her finger over the stone.

"I never thought of it that way," she admitted "but I do often worry about how we put so much faith in a little thing like this to keep you all safe. When I get back, I'm going to ask Bonnie to find a spell that protects the wearer, not the object."

"She won't do it."

"She will - for Caroline."

"You three are inseparable aren't you?" She nodded.

"They're my sisters. We'll always be there for each other. I can't tell you how many times we have fallen out, but we always make up because life without each other would be unbearable."

They grew quiet and watched as the spectacular sunrise filled the room.

"Are you happy?" She asked.

"What do you think?" He said and held her tight. "But I'll be honest Elena, I don't know where you want things to go from here."

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><p><strong>If you want to know what Elena's short set looks like, its the Myla one called Isabella. You can Google it.<strong>

**Don't forget to follow me on Twitter! silverfoxpunk**


	2. Tied Up in Knots

**Hi. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Although I have the feeling not all of you will. Feel free to let me know... I can take it. ;-)**

**I am working on my second collab with Sleepwell. Its a love triangle story between Damon, Elena and Stefan. A PROPER love triangle, if you catch my drift. Check it out. We post as Sleepwell-Silverfox. Its lemon-tastic!**

**I have also started a Twitter feed. If you want to check it out, I am silverfoxpunk. All welcome!**

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><p><strong>In the Hour Before Dawn<strong>

**Chapter 2: Tied Up in Knots**

Caroline slipped into the bedroom and felt Stefan's eyes track her as she did so. There was no recognition beyond her existence as the blonde vampire who gave him the blood that kept him alive. She wondered how that could be after all they had been through.

This new Stefan scared and fascinated her in equal measure. Was he a warning of what could happen to her if she strayed from the straight and narrow? The situation felt like a bad instructional video shown to new vampires to keep them off the human blood._'See,this is what happens if you kill too many humans. You forget who you are and all the people who were important to you. All that will matter is the blood and how you get it.'_

She felt better prepared today. He was going to try it on again - flirting with her because he sensed it was working. She wouldn't let it catch her out.

"Come closer." He said. "Or are you afraid of me?" He blinked; his long, dark eyelashes, sweeping upwards and proving it wasn't just girls who knew how to use them.

She took a few steps closer, tucking her thumbs nonchalantly in her back pockets. He undressed her with his eyes and she found herself blushing, not because it hadn't happened to her a million times before, but because this time it was Stefan. Even though _he_ had forgotten who he was, her own body sure hadn't, and she was ashamed about the heat that built between her legs when he looked at her like she was sexy, desirable, luscious.

She should just get the blood from the fridge in the basement and feed it to him and then leave. Instead she is stood there with her hip thrust forward, her head cocked to one side and a lock of golden hair falling across her shoulder. He doesn't miss any of it, he takes her all in.

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><p>Dressing him in his own clothes had been a drama, but between them they had managed it. After all, they couldn't leave him in what Klaus had dumped him in. His own blood had caked his clothes and hair. In the ruckus of that day, she remembered that she and Bonnie had argued over who would have to wash him, as neither of them wanted to, when thankfully Jeremy and Alaric had stepped in. In the ensuing bathroom struggle, they had called out to her to bring clothes, and she had run and grabbed the first thing that she had put her hand on from his closet. And now here he was looking like he was dressed for dinner at some fabulous New York hotel. The formal black shirt had slipped open a button or two in the night and exposed his pale, slim torso. He looked too smart for a captive. Too smooth to be a killer. She knew it was all an illusion. Being alluring was what he did, and that was what made him dangerous.<p>

He turned towards her a little, his chains rattling like Jacob Marley.

"Why are you so far away? I'm not going to hurt you."

She took a step towards him.

"Are you hungry?" She said, finally finding something appropriate to say.

"Not for blood." He said suggestively, casting his eyes over her again.

He knew what she was of course, and hadn't tried to compel her because of that, (which was a good thing, because Bonnie had already been in trouble where that was concerned. They had learnt their lesson that day - this was not the same Stefan. Vervain was hastily stuffed into jewelry and wallets).

"I just want some company." He said. That killer smile of his made her look away before she gave in to it.

Why hadn't she just called Elena immediately when he turned up, like Bonnie and Jer had told her she should? The argument they had had that day had been the argument to end all others. Bonnie and her were talking again - but only just. This self-run rehab clinic had been all her idea. She had been confident at the time that she could make it work. But now her confidence was fading away. She had persuaded them that it made sense to 'dry him out' first, whilst letting Elena recuperate on her holiday. The plan, as she laid it out, was for Elena to return refreshed to a happy and healthy boyfriend. A wonderful surprise for her best friend...

It seemed like such a good idea at the time. She wondered what part arrogance had played in her decision? She had primly told Alaric, "You just can't understand vampires like I do", knowing it was impossible for him to argue against her playing _that_ card, and in the end, he had capitulated. "Fine, Caroline," he had said in that soft voice of his, "we'll play it your way."

So she had gotten her way and beaten them all down eventually. But she wondered now at her wisdom. This wily and cunning Stefan made her feel like a child. She suddenly realized she knew nothing of what it was to be a vampire - not the _normal_ kind anyway. Not understanding that was her biggest mistake to date.

"I suppose if I asked you to loosen these chains a little -"

"Then I would say no." She finished for him. He let a smile spread over his face.

"They pinch." He complained. She walked over to him and examined the chains on his feet, checking to see that they weren't actually doing what he said. "Not my feet. My hands."

She had already loosened the chains a couple of days ago. He had about two feet of length on each for comfort, but not so much that he could cause any real trouble. She cautiously walked over and checked his hands again.

"They're fine." She said and folded her arms over her chest. "You're fine." She reiterated.

"Caroline. Sweet Caroline." He said and she stiffened. He hadn't used her name before. Never. "That's what your friend called you." He saw her freeze, and cocked his own head at her examining her eyes. "Your little witch friend, Bon-nie." He said like he was trying it on for size.

"So if you're not hungry, and you're comfortable, I'm going to go." She turned and began to make her way from the room.

"Please don't go, Caroline." She turned back and looked over her shoulder. He smiled. She felt a second pulse of desire run through her.

"A vampire needs company you know. I look forward to your visits. You're different to the others."

She sat on the chair near the door.

"Come closer," he said. His eyes alive with sudden mischief, "I'm not going to bite." She raised her eyebrow and gave him a look to say 'cheesy line'. But she picked up the chair and moved it just a little bit towards where he was. "Mmm, you smell nice."

"Edible you mean."

"No. Not what I meant at all." He gave her a querying look. "You know why don't you release me from these chains and I can show you what a good boy I can be?"

"Hmm, I think not. What do you want Stefan? I don't have all day."

"If you come over here and sit beside me, we could have a much nicer time." He smoldered at her from beneath those dark long lashes. She swallowed. She could cope with most things in life, but her best friend's boyfriend being flirtatious with her, was apparently not one of them.

"I'm fine where I am thank you." He smiled again at her, perhaps aware of the power it had.

"So sweet Caroline, what do you do when you are not babysitting vampires?"

"Go to school." She said bluntly. A smirk broke across his face. He raised an eyebrow. It was clear that this was something he considered to be novel.

"A vampire that goes to school? Well I never."

"Actually, so do you."

"Well if you are there, I can see why." He said smoothly. "Tell me schoolgirl Caroline, are you a virgin?" He leaned forwards as he said it, pulling his chains taut. She probably blushed but she leaned forwards and looked at him, determined not to have this conversation go entirely his way no matter how leftfield.

"What do you think?" She said.

He laughed, a big warm chortle that ended in another delicious smile.

"I think you are bored of small town country hicks, who fumble at you in the night. You want someone who can keep up with you, challenge you, understand the confident, beautiful, intuitive vampire you really are." He said, his eyes sparkling. She felt her brow furrow. This was a bit closer to the truth than she cared to admit. Plus, rather flattering.

"Mm-hm. I guess that's why I slept with your brother." She said, then regretted it instantly. His mouth snapped shut. She bit her bottom lip. _Stupid, stupid girl._

"I have a brother?" He asked. She wished she could turn back time. They had all agreed, don't tell him stuff that he doesn't remember - let it come back to him naturally as he gets off the blood. She cursed her stupidity. She had to get him off that subject, or he would go back to being sullen, withdrawn and difficult to handle.

"So I suppose you need a woman who can keep up with you too?" She said. He looked at her, and as she anticipated that mischievous smile came back.

"I don't know. _Can_ you keep up?"

She went quiet.

"Come over here, Caroline."

"Still fine where I am."

"No, no you're not. You're thinking 'what would it be like to kiss him'? You only have to come here to find out."

"A little arrogant aren't we?" She said, folding her arms.

"I'm not wrong though." He said. She really did blush this time. She got up and went to the window. Behind her she heard his chains rattle as he turned, allowing himself to continue to follow her with his eyes.

She opened the curtain a peep and looked at the fading daylight. They had quickly realized that it would be easier to subdue him if they removed the ring he wore. He seemed to prefer the darkness anyway - this Stefan was all about darkness.

"Its dusk." She said, opening the curtains so he would be able to see the stars.

"When the vampires come out to play." He mused. "Why don't you come and play with me?"

"Stefan, please." She said, rolling her eyes. She was actually getting tired of it now. The flirting was just annoying after a while. Like being pestered by a man who wouldn't take no for an answer.

"I'm sorry. Its just I like you and I want to find out more about you." He sounded sincere for the first time that day. "And I think you like me too." He said simply.

"Things can change." She said with a hint of humor in her voice. He made a face.

"Please, Caroline. Won't you come back here and join me? I promise I will be good."

She sighed and moved over to the bed, sat on the edge of it and looked at him. He didn't lunge or strike out. He knew she could move away at speed if he tried it anyway.

"That's better. More civil, don't you think? I won't bite - unless you want me to." He narrowed his eyes.

"And why on earth would I want that?" She said more to herself than him, but he looked surprised.

"What? You've never been bitten for pleasure?"

"I've been bitten. I didn't find anything pleasurable in it." She added quietly. In fact the thought of it turned her cold. She must have drifted away a little then, because she was brought round suddenly by the feel of his hand on her cheek. She flinched and jumped to her feet. He put both hands up as if to say he was backing off.

"I'm sorry. I won't touch you unless you ask me to. Please return." She shook her head. He motioned for her to sit, his chains clanking as he moved his hand. "Please. I'm sorry. It won't happen again." She hesitated, but he looked sincere and actually she was feeling rather miserable after remembering her somewhat abusive relationship with Damon. She sat back down.

"When you were bitten, it was as a human, right?" He guessed. She nodded. "And then by the one who made you. So you really haven't experienced what it can be - what it _is_ between vampires."

"No."

"Would you like to?"

"Not really. No." He nodded, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Her phone buzzed and she took it out and looked at it. Jer was downstairs ready to take his shift. She stood up. "I have to go."

"So soon? But we have only just begun to talk." He complained.

"Is it my fault you wasted half the time flirting?" She said.

"_Was_ it a waste of time?" He asked sincerely. She couldn't look at him. She turned from the bed and walked towards the door.

"Someone is taking over."

"The boy with brown eyes?" She nodded. "He washes me." The way he said it sounded so - intimate. She felt strange about that. She wondered if she would warn Jeremy that Stefan was in a peculiarly odd mood.

"Er, sure." She said. "Look, I have to go. Why don't you rest. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll be waiting for you, sweet Caroline."

* * *

><p>"Hey, Care. How's he doing today?" Jer asked, tossing a hand through his hair. He looked at her with concern. "You're looking paler than normal. Are you okay?" He searched her eyes.<p>

"I'm fine. And he's okay too. He says he just wants company." She picked up her purse and slung it over her shoulder.

"Do you think he's getting any better?"

"I think we need more time."

"It's been two weeks. We only have another two and then Damon and Elena will be home."

"It'll be fine." She said, sounding more confident than she felt about it. She stepped towards the door and put her hand on it as he began to walk up the stairs. Something made her turn back. "Jer?"

"Yep?"

"Be careful." She said. He smiled.

"Sure. I always am."

* * *

><p>"So, how are you today?" He asked the vampire.<p>

"Hello Nurse Jeremy." Stefan smiled. "Or is it Captor Jeremy?"

"I prefer to think of us as friends." Stefan looked confused.

"Do friends tie each other up?"

"In our world, probably." Jer said under his breath. He picked up the chair Caroline had moved close to the bed and moved it back towards the door. He turned it around and sat on it. "So you've remembered my name. That's good."

"Yes. I'm hungry, Jeremy."

"Sure. I'll get you some blood."

He got up, ran downstairs and fetched the butcher's blood from the basement where they had been keeping it. There was no way they were going to feed him the human stuff. At least now Stefan had stopped spitting it across the room.

Jeremy shut the freezer and jogged back up to the bedroom. Stefan lay quiet on the bed. Both of them knew the routine. They had moved a microwave into the bedroom to make heating the blood easier. He took it better when it was warm. Jer transferred it to a different container and warmed it up. The microwave peeped and he took it out, added a straw and moved towards Stefan. Stefan waited for him to place the straw in his mouth, then placed his hand on the boy's wrist as he fed. He let his eyes fix on the boy's as he sucked the blood through the straw. Jer felt uncomfortable. It was something about the way Stefan was looking at him. Like he wanted to, well - he wasn't sure what. What's more, he could have just held the glass himself.

"I'm done." Stefan said. Jer snapped back into the real world with a start.

"Er, sure." He moved away from the bed, grateful to get away from the vampire whom he had previously pretty much thought of as a brother-in-law.

"So, what do you do around here, Jeremy? Do you also attend school?"

"Yes Stefan, you know that." He said, leaning against the cabinet that the microwave rested on.

"A school boy. I see." Jer didn't answer, he was wary. "And what does a schoolboy do for fun around here?"

"You know, hang out at the Grill, go upstate when I can. Not a lot." He felt strangely on the spot. In fact, he rarely went upstate, and the Grill had only recently been refurbished. He mostly hung out with Bonnie, and swapped their dates between the cinema and nights in. Stefan nodded sagely as though he knew all the problems of a young man in a small town.

"What is the name of this place I find myself in?"

"Come on now, Stefan. You know that."

The vampire paused and thought for a moment.

"Mystic?"

"Good."

"Why do you do this, Jeremy? You know you don't want to."

"Do what?"

"Keep me captive."

"We are trying to help you. You have a problem, Stefan." He said not unkindly.

"No, you think it is wrong. I can tell." Stefan said, and looked at him askew. Jeremy shut his mouth tight. He certainly wasn't going to be lead into that conversation.

"I can see your strength, Jeremy." Stefan said. "Why do you let others undermine you?" Jer looked at his feet, then back at the vampire.

"Nobody undermines me." He said quietly.

"I wouldn't." Stefan said. "Trust in the fact that what you say holds weight with me. You have strength, Jeremy. More than you know." He tossed his head back onto the pillow and looked up to the ceiling. "Does it embarrass you, seeing me naked when you undress me?"

Jeremy raised his eyebrows. Where had that come from? That was one hell of a curve ball.

"Look, I don't know why you would want to ask me that, but I have to tell you, I'm not too comfortable with the direction this conversation has taken -"

"Have you ever thought about a man in _that_ way, Jeremy?" Jer swept his hair out of his face again.

"Listen, I.. I really don't think that... that I..." He floundered.

"Does it embarrass you to think that another man may think about _you_ like that?"

"Holy crap, Stefan. I am using my 'strength' to end this conversation, now." The vampire glanced at the blushing boy, then returned his gaze to the ceiling.

"I can help you experience a world that you would not believe. One where you have control."

"Yeah, well. Thanks, but no thanks." His phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and saw that it was Bonnie. "I should get this." He said to the vampire. Talk about being saved by the bell.

"Of course." The vampire said. Jer turned around, but felt Stefan's eyes burrowing into his back as he took his call from Bonnie. He ended his conversation with a big "I love you babe", probably a bit louder than necessary.

"Your girlfriend." Stefan stated. He clearly hadn't yet worked out who that girlfriend was.

"Look if you have finished with that blood I am going to take that glass away and get it cleaned up." Jer said, hoping to avoid any more personal stuff. If he had been able to look the vampire in the eye, he would have seen Stefan watch him with a cool, steady gaze. He went to collect the container from the bedside table, when Stefan grabbed his wrist.

"Why aren't you scared to be alone with me?" He said quietly, scanning the boy's eyes with urgency. "You are not like the others, you are mortal. You are not a warlock. I could kill you." Jer returned his gaze anxiously. He didn't want to reveal anything about the ring that protected him.

"But you wouldn't, would you? Kill me I mean."

"No, Jeremy, I wouldn't." Stefan's sparkling eyes cast over him. "I would never hurt you. I hope you know that. When other people aren't there for you, I can be."

Jer looked at Stefan's hand on his wrist. He felt the pale, slim fingers press against his own warm flesh. He looked into earnest eyes that held his gaze unrelentingly. He knew the vampire could feel the beat of his thunderous pulse as his heart beat wildly. He waited for Stefan to remove his hand. Which he did so. Slowly.

"You are very hot." Stefan remarked ambiguously. Jeremy turned away, his cheeks coloring.

"I'll be back. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." Jer said rather too flippantly - his nervousness clear in his voice.

"I wonder how many options that would leave me?" Stefan said, with real curiosity in his. Jeremy hurried from the room.

* * *

><p>As he walked out and shut the door behind him with a sigh of relief, he found Vicky and Anna in front of him. Vicky leaned back on her arms on the bannister and Anna sat on the top step of the staircase, blocking his exit.<p>

"So," Anna said, "I guess he wants what we have."

"He can't have you, you know." Vicky added. "You're ours."

"Mine." Anna snapped at her jealously.

"He loved me first. You were just a crush."

"Girls, will you just quit it! I'm my own person. Don't tell me what I think!" He said, stunning them both into silence and brushing past them both.

"Jer?" Anna called after him. "Don't tell me that BS he said is working on you?" Jer stopped his descent and looked back at her.

"No. Don't be ridiculous."

But if it was so ridiculous, then why was it that he looked forward to being back in that room?


	3. I Want You to Feel

**Hello. So sorry for the delay getting this next chapter up. Sometimes life gets in the way of writing, which is damnably annoying. Anyhoooo, I really hope you like this chapter. Please do write to me and let me know, cause I get real anxious that everybody hates my work unless I hear otherwise! **

**Just a reminder that I am now on Twitter, chatting about vampire stuff, what I am reading and writing in the world of fanfic, and maybe some hints about this story too... Follow AT Silverfoxpunk.**

**Also, if you like romantic stuff with a slash slant, do try out my collab with Sleepwell. Its going really well, (even I say so myself!). We post under Sleepwell-Silverfox, and the story is called Now That You're Gone, which is a title I love (Sleepwell gets the credit for that). Check out Sleepwell's other stories too. They're fab.**

**Anyway Delenas, this is for you. A basket of fresh lemons.**

* * *

><p><strong>In the Hour Before Dawn<strong>

**Chapter 3: I Want You to Feel**

She heard the sound of the waterfall before she saw it. The last part of the route she had found her own way through the forest, brushing past the verdant, squashy leaves of the undergrowth with gusto. He followed leisurely behind with a smile on his face, swatting at the occasional buzzing insect.

"I feel like an explorer!" She laughed, her voice echoing back to him through the trees.

"You _are_ an explorer. You just happen to have discovered a path that over a thousand tourists a year have probably _also_ discovered."

"Killjoy. Don't ruin it!" She called back to him. He could hear her stop moving up ahead, then came an exclamation, "Oh my goodness!"

He finally broke out of the tree line and caught her up. He went to stand beside her and together they looked out in awed silence at the magnificent vista below them.

They overlooked a fifty-foot drop waterfall which crashed down into a series of plunge pools, each surrounded by lush green forest. What with the clear blue sky above them, tropical birds calling to each other and heat of the sun - it seemed like a miniature paradise.

"How did you find out about this place?" She asked.

"I asked around. One of the staff said it was his favorite place on the island. He gave me directions. Pretty spectacular, huh?"

"What's it called?"

"You know, I really don't know. He never told me. You should name it. After all, you discovered it."

She didn't even hesitate. "Little Eden. Definitely."

"Come on, let's get down there." He said.

They climbed down the slippery path between the rocks, picking their way down to the water's edge. She took the lead, occasionally holding on to either his hand for purchase or some tough looking foliage to help her. Still, she was more prepared for this than he was, given her practical choice of clothing consisting of sneakers, vest top and shorts, as opposed to his choice of pristine cream chinos and white t-shirt.

* * *

><p>As he skidded down the last section of lose dirt and reached the bottom, she was already stood on the rocks overlooking the plunge pools. They were damp from the spray of the waterfall that surged violently a few feet away. She had removed her backpack and shoes, and drank from a bottle of water in a futile attempt to combat the effects of the humidity.<p>

The waterfall's spray created a dozen mini rainbows in the air. The sound of its roar drowned out every other noise.

"It's gorgeous here!" She shouted back to him over the noise.

"What?" He said cupping his ear. She grinned.

He caught up to her and as she looked down into the water, he grabbed her and began to tickle her. It quickly turned into a full-on play fight. She wouldn't give in to his demand to be kissed, so he dangled her over the edge of the rocks and threatened to drop her in to the water. Still she refused, and when she laughingly told him that he 'wouldn't dare drop her', she found herself hitting the water with a splash.

"Oh my God! I can't believe you just did that!" She spluttered, as she resurfaced. He laughed heartily, his aviators bobbing on nose, his laugh echoing out all around them from the cave behind the waterfall. She loved to hear him laugh like that and realized how long it had been since either of them had just let themselves go. Suddenly it realized like she had been holding her breath for a whole year, perhaps even more.

She swam around for a bit before eventually making her way back over to the rock he was stood on. She put her hand up to him. "Well, help me out then!" She demanded with mock-huffiness. He reached down to pull her out and found himself sailing over her head and landing in the water behind her with an enormous splash. She knew he had let her pull him in, but the satisfaction of it happening made her laugh anyway. Her laughter was soon replaced by squeals though, as he swam rapidly over to her and grabbed her, pulling her down into the water - and their tussling continued, as they ducked and dived and slipped through each other's fingers. Eventually they surfaced together and he floated along happily with her in his arms.

"Let's get out of these clothes." He said, kissing her on the nose.

"Someone might see."

"I'll hear them long before they reach us." He said reassuringly. "Come on. This is Eden after all. Aren't we supposed to be naked?" She gave him a mischievous grin, then swam out of his arms, wriggling out of her clothes as fast as he began wriggling out of his. They tossed their damp things into a soggy pile together on the rocks.

Rather than returning to him, she swam elusively away, making the most of the crystal clear water and tempting him with flashes of her slender body. He began to feel he knew how Adam felt if she was anything like Eve had been. He swam quickly after her and caught her, pulling her body against his until they fell into a kiss, their tongues slipping inside each other as the spray of the waterfall misted their bodies.

* * *

><p>It was hard work to stay afloat in the deep water, and he could tell she was tiring, so he used a guiding hand to move her towards the edge of their plunge pool. The next pool they looked down onto was much calmer than theirs. They had two choices how to get down into it. Either climb up onto the rocks and jump, or slide over where the water carved a path into the pool. They chose the latter. They slid down together and screamed as they bumped over the edge in a rush of white water before dropping a meter or two into the pool below.<p>

"That was brilliant, can we do it again?" She laughed as she kicked her way back to the surface. He swam over to her.

"It might have been brilliant for you, but I rather wish we had done it _before_ I took my clothes off." She giggled.

He cornered her against the rocks. It was just about shallow enough at the edges of this pool for her to stand on tiptoes. Her hands rested on his arms that were either side of her body. He looked at her intensely and suddenly she felt a moment of shyness. They grew quiet and the sounds of the forest filled their hearing.

She began to shiver.

"Do you want to get out of the water?" He asked her, concerned.

"Yes, and no."

"Why yes _and_ no?"

She looked away, blushing furiously.

"My clothes are back there!"

"You cannot tell me you are shy! Seriously? After last night? The night when you _jumped_ me and now you're shy. Unbelievable." He began to laugh.

"It was dark last night!" She protested. "And I didn't exactly jump you, I, well... I... Well this is different, anyway."

"What's more, we've been naked for the past fifteen minutes!" He continued to smile.

"I know, but I...Well, its just that you are so perfect, and I..." She began.

"Elena," he interrupted with all seriousness, "if you don't know how stunning you are, its a sad world we live in." He pushed in closer so that his body rested against hers, forcing her to move her hands up to behind his head. "Does this convince you how beautiful I find you?" He said nestling against her. She twirled her fingers in the smooth, wet hair at the nape of his neck and nodded, blushing again. She gave him a shy smile. He lifted her chin with his hand until she looked him in the eye. "I used to dream of the day when I would get to be this close to you." He said sincerely. He placed a light, but loving kiss on her lips, which she returned. He looked at her again and shook his head, the sense of mischief returning to his eyes. "Women!" He complained. "I could live another five hundred years and I'd still _never_ understand you." She gave him a friendly cuff on the shoulder, then climbed out of the water, feeling very aware that he watched her. She didn't know how he did it, but he just had a way of making her feel special and wanted all the time.

He pulled himself gracefully out after her. Being shy of being naked around her, or anyone for that matter, was never a problem for him. He smiled as he followed her.

* * *

><p>In this part of their oasis, the wild flowers and lush moss grew right down to the water's edge. Elena walked over to an area of wild grasses that caught the best of the sunshine, twisting her wet hair into a low bun at the nape of her neck as she did. She sat down and stretched her legs out in front of her and he came and sat beside her, reaching out a hand out and placing it behind her head.<p>

"Elena Gilbert." He said looking into her eyes.

"What?" She said, that same shy smile playing on her lips. He removed his hand and brushed the back of his fingers gently over her cheek and she nuzzled against his cool touch.

"Nothing. Just sayin' it out loud." He leaned in to kiss her and she kissed him back affectionately - feeling the tingle of their intimacy pass through every inch of her. They lay back together onto the mossy grass, disturbing a pair of butterflies and sending them fluttering into the turquoise sky. He ran a hand over her curves, making her press into his assured touch. She put her arms around him and held him close, before he suddenly broke away.

"What is it?" She asked him.

"Close your eyes."

"Why? What are you going to do?" She said suspiciously, a frown forming on her face, "May I remind you that the last time I trusted you, you chucked me in the water."

"Every flower requires a little watering." He said unrepentantly, "And besides, I promise you you'll like this. Just close your eyes, listen to the sounds of the forest and the waterfall and feel the sun on your skin." She gave him a look to suggest that he was 'on a warning' but she closed her eyes anyway, and after only a couple of sneaky peaks to try his patience, she eventually kept them closed. "Just breathe in and out, slowly."

"Okay."

"And no talking." He instructed bossily. She nodded solemnly and tried not to giggle at the sternness in his voice. He waited with his hands lightly resting on the outside of her hips, watching as her face finally began to relax. He looked at her hands and saw that she was letting her fingers sink into the moss. Her chest rose and fell with her deepening breaths.

* * *

><p>He moved at speed away from her legs, and knelt behind her head before she had time to register where he was. He lifted up each arm in turn and kissed every part; the palms of her hands, her knuckles, between her fingers, the delicate flesh of the inside of her wrists, the inside of her elbows and her armpits, all of which he brushed his lips across. When he stole a look at her face he could see she was smiling. He gently sucked on the middle finger of her right hand. She reached behind her with her left, and he let her run her fingers through his hair, before he moved at speed out of her reach. He moved to her legs, repeating the process; kissing and touching all of her until the hairs stood up on her body. Eventually he moved to between her legs. He kissed, licked and nibbled at her until she arched beneath him.<p>

He straddled her as she had him the night before. She smiled and rolled her head back as he put a little of his weight back onto her hips. He ran his hands over her shoulders, down her throat and passed his fingers between her breasts and down to either side of her waist. He lifted her upper body slightly as he simultaneously leaned down and slipped his tongue across her nipples, causing her to sigh pleasurably. He worked his tongue around every sensitive part of her upper body until she opened her mouth to speak, but he quickly dampened her words with a long, deep, kiss, taking satisfaction in having her taste herself on him. As he supported her with one hand behind her head and another on the small of her back, one of her own hands tentatively tried to find its way between his legs, and when she found what she was looking for, he returned her appreciative sigh with one of his own.

He leaned forwards and whispered into her ear, "Do you like to touch me?". She opened her mouth to speak, but he put a finger over her lips and so she nodded instead. Suddenly she found their positions reversed, so that she was straddling him and he was beneath her.

He smiled and lay back where she had been, holding her gently around her waist so she would feel secure and balanced. She felt for his chest. Although at first her movements were faltering, she began to relax into it and soon her fingers were running over his body with interest, finding the parts of him she had not touched before. She lingered on anything with texture; the hair of his armpits, his navel, his nipples - even his eyelashes. He caught her fingers as she moved them across his face and gave them a gentle kiss. She smiled, then returned to her game. Instead of the exploratory touch, she now began to massage him. His hands slipped to her thighs as he became more and more turned on by the slow, subtle, massaging movements she repeated over his chest and down across his stomach, until he had entirely lost his focus on supporting her body in favor of merely responding to what she was doing to him. His hands gripped her thighs as his body stiffened beneath her, and she moved her hands lower. As she took hold of his erection, he thrust up into her hands, being vocal in expressing how he felt.

Even with her eyes shut tight, she knew he was as ready for her as she was for him, and as if reading her mind, she felt his hands move to her waist again. This time he firmly lifted her up and supported her, so she could guide herself onto him. As he entered her and he cried out, the same guttural sound from the night before emanating from somewhere deep inside of him. He was glad she couldn't see him now. He was embarrassed at how much he needed and wanted her. He didn't want her to know just how stripped bare and vulnerable she made him feel.

She reached blindly for his chest and he rocked himself into her, pushing deep inside her, making her whimper softly. She felt his hands run up her body, squeezing her breasts, then pulling her down close so that she almost lay on top of him. She felt him smooth his hands over her shoulders, down her waist to her behind, where they stayed - guiding her movements to match his own. He began to kiss her again and again, as though no single kiss was enough. He whispered to her between each kiss that she was beautiful and that he loved her, the words spilling out of him as though he would never get the chance to say them again. He was so tender, loving and sweet to her that she almost felt like crying. How could this be the same person who had once scared her?

* * *

><p>Her hair had loosened itself as a result of their lovemaking and suddenly it fell heavily across her shoulder onto his chest. She felt him wind his hand into it until his hand rested at the back of her neck. He held her there resting his forehead against hers as he moved deep inside her, his lips never far from her own, as though he wanted to share her breath. The sounds he was making were heartfelt and sincere.<p>

He sensed she was tiring on top of him, and so he turned her over until he was on top of her once again. She felt her shoulders push down into the soft, mossy bed beneath her. No other sensation could enter her consciousness, because now there was only one sense that filled her - it was the feeling of his mass and intensity - the very essence of who he was. What they shared now was a conversation without words, and suddenly she was overcome with the power of it. It was as though he made love to her with everything he had. Despite his best efforts to disguise the fact, the depth of how he felt about her was as plain as day, and would know it whether her eyes were closed, or open.

* * *

><p>She tipped her head back onto her mossy pillow as the thought and feel of him conquered her entirely, and she came fiercely as he stole kisses down her exposed throat. He came too, shuddering violently for long moments afterwards, until he collapsed at her side.<p>

She opened her eyes slowly and met his; they were both scared by the intensity of what had passed between them.

"Oh, Damon." She said, reaching out and touching his face. "How could I have not have known?" He grabbed her hand and pushed it down to her side. At first he seemed embarrassed, angry even, but then he looked away for a moment, took her hand again and this time laced his fingers into it. He seemed like he was going to say something, then paused as though he had thought better of it and looked away again. But he merely took a moment to gather himself, then he turned back towards her and firmly held her gaze. He looked deep into her brown eyes, his own eyes seemed deadly serious.

"Elena, we have to go home." He began, his eyes sparkling. "We need to find Stefan - not just because we both want him to be safe - but because you need to say a proper goodbye. And also because I have to tell him that I want you to marry me."


	4. Silk

**Some of you are going to be SO MAD AT ME after reading this chapter! But my thoughts are, it ain't over till the fat lady sings. What is a relationship unless it has withstood a few bumps in the road? This chapter just adds a few bumps...**

**NB: it is supposed to be a little confusing - so don't worry if you are lost. All will be revealed eventually - I promise. It may be a little different from the series too, but I hope you'll forgive any inaccuracies. **

**It's written from Tyler's POV, and he is a little behind on all his facts, as you will see.**

**Please stick with this and Delenas, don't hate me! Remember, I'm one of you.**

**Brace, brace. Here we go.**

* * *

><p><strong>In the Hour Before Dawn<strong>

**Chapter 4: Silk**

**THREE WEEKS LATER**

Tyler threw his bag down in the hallway and jogged up the stairs to shower. He heard his mom call after him, "Are you just going to leave your sweaty kit in a heap down here for me to deal with? Tyler? Tyler! You're not a child anymore."

He leaned against the bathroom door and tried to control his anger in the way that Jules had taught him. His eyes flicked briefly to wolf-like amber, but as he began breathing in the way she had shown him, they soon returned to normal. Restoring calm was essential for him to get to grips with if he was to have anything approaching a normal life.

He knew he was only angry in the first place because his mom actually had a point. His time on the road with Jules had been difficult. She had never pandered to him and she lost her temper big-time when she thought he was failing to pull his own weight. He had quickly realized that if he didn't handle his own washing and other stuff, no-one else was going to do it. He even got a bit of a grip on cooking, and found he actually kind of liked it. His life with Jules, although brief, felt independent. She had treated him like an adult. But as soon as he stepped back under his parent's roof, he became that person he didn't like very much.

* * *

><p>Tyler stepped out of his clothes and rather than leave them in a heap on the floor, he picked them up and placed them on the chair. He ran the shower until he got the temperature just where he liked it - the tipping point between scalding hot and even hotter.<p>

As he stepped into the stream and let the water do its work, he began to find himself fantasizing about leaving home. Once the idea had entered his head, it wouldn't leave. Perhaps he could afford a little apartment if he found a roomie and also got a job? He'd been left a little money by his father, which had finally come through at last, (most of it was locked away in trust until he turned twenty-one). However, what he had been given at the moment was probably enough for a small deposit. It was certainly worth considering. Perhaps he could live with other werewolves too, that's what Jules would have wanted.

Besides, it wasn't like he was destined for a big hot-shot place at university. His baseball scholarship had gone the way of his football one. Despite the fact that his mom had signed him up for extra lessons at school the minute he crossed the threshold (and undoubtedly made out a big fat donation check so no-one would comment on the time he missed), he was still struggling. She didn't seem to realize that once a C average, always a C average, and no amount of extra credit was going to change that. It wasn't that he couldn't - he was no dumb jock - it was just that he wouldn't. School bored him to death. He just wanted to get out in the world and do something that mattered. Calculus did not feature high on the list.

"_Tyler, you have a visitor."_ His mom called up the stairs. He could tell from the tone of her voice that she was still pissed with him. He wondered who it could be as it was close to nine o'clock and a school night. Nobody just turned up at his door anymore, not since he and Matt had stopped hanging out. And Caroline - well. It had been a while since she had shown up.

"_Tyler!"_ His mom disapproved of anyone calling late, which was plainly evident from the irritation in her voice.

"I heard you, mom. Jeez. I'll be right there." He turned off the shower and dried himself quickly. He wanted to get changed, but hadn't brought any clean clothes into the bathroom with him. He sure wasn't going to put on his dirty sweats on again, so he tied his towel firmly around his waist, ran a hand through his wet hair and left the room.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Tyler."<p>

He stopped in his tracks on the landing. At the bottom of the stairs was a person he wouldn't have guessed it would be in a million years.

"Elena, hi." He said, trying but failing to keep the surprise out his voice.

"I'm sorry to disturb you so late, its just that-"

"No, no, not at all. It's good to see you." He interrupted. His mom was still hovering next to Elena. He jogged down the stairs to meet them both.

"Everything okay here?" His mom said.

"We're fine, Mrs Lockwood. I just had to see Tyler."

His mom nodded. She had always liked the Gilbert family, and Elena in particular with her pretty manners and good looks. Carol Lockwood may not have said as much, but she had always hoped Elena and Tyler would get together. It had been embarrassingly obvious to both of them, and even though they never had the slightest bit of interest in each other, her willing it to happen had probably guaranteed it would stay that way. They weren't even all that close as friends.

However, despite her usual fondness for Elena, his mom was in a frosty mood and felt like expressing it. All done for his benefit of course.

"Well, it's kind of late for callers, Elena. But I know you won't keep him long." Tyler glared at his mom for her rudeness.

"I won't, Mrs Lockwood. I'm truly sorry." His mom gave her son a withering glare and then reluctantly left them to it.

There was a moment of awkward silence whilst the two were left regarding each other. Suddenly Tyler snapped out of it.

"I'll, er, go put some clothes on..." He jerked his thumb behind him. She smiled.

"Oh, sure. I'll wait." They both laughed nervously.

He dashed back up the stairs three at a time, and came back a couple of minutes later in a Abercrombie and Fitch sweater and some shorts.

"_You kids want some lemonade?"_ shouted the disembodied voice of his mom as she would have done back when they were both six years old. Tyler mouth 'sorry', to Elena and she mouthed back 'its fine' with a smile.

"Wanna go out?" He whispered to her. She nodded.

He grabbed his keys, slipped his sneakers on without undoing them first, opened the front door quietly, and then motioned for her to go through. He followed, shutting the door silently as his mom was still calling his name.

* * *

><p>As they fell into step together taking the path up to the old summer house, he instantly felt more himself and less awkward. There was something about being inside those walls that restrained him, made him feel less than who he was. Perhaps he just felt happier to be outdoors now. Maybe he always had. He'd love to know how much of that was the wolf inside of him.<p>

"So, I guess you are wondering what I am doing turning up on your doorstep?" She said, smiling at him.

"No, not at all." He lied, then on noticing the broad grin on her face, he cracked his own smile. "Okay, just a little bit." They laughed. She tossed her hair behind her shoulders and he caught a scent of rosehip and jasmine. Damn, his senses were on the ball right now, he could tell it was nearly a full moon.

"I just wondered, you know, how you were doing? Since everything... well, since that night. I'm so sorry about Jules, and your other friends. From before I mean. Everything really. Its been so rough on everyone." He soon lost his smile. He didn't like to talk about it much.

"I'm doing okay, Elena. I'm just dealing with it, you know. But come on, that's not why wanted to see me. What's up?" He gave her a sideways glance and she studiously avoided his gaze, and giving him an answer.

"I always loved this summer house!" She said, enthusiastically leaping up the three steps that led to the veranda. She sat immediately down in the love seat that was fixed there and began to swing. "Do you remember the time that French girl brought this whole seat down at your birthday party?"

"Sure. Justine Virane." He smiled.

"Yeah, that was her name. How on earth do you remember that? We must have been, what, five. Six?"

"She was the first girl I ever kissed. Of course I remember her name!" He smiled. He hovered on the steps, leaning against the wooden framework and watching her. She seemed content to sit and swing, and didn't look like she was in hurry to discuss what she was really doing here. "You want something to drink?" He asked her eventually. "I think my dad kept some good stuff somewhere around here."

"I take it you don't mean lemonade." She said, a grin spreading across her face. "Sure. Why not?"

Tyler used his key and slipped inside the dusty summer house. He pulled open the cupboard where he knew his dad had often kept alcohol, and sure enough there was half a bottle of Irish whiskey. He found two vaguely clean cups and then used his sweater to wipe the dust off before pouring two generous measures. His mind was working overtime. He could have sworn that she had been flirting with him just now, but that was insane. Elena had never had much time for him, and wasn't she with Stefan anyway? He tried to shake the feeling that he was going mad. He carried the mugs outside.

"Cheers." She said, clinking her mug against his.

"Cheers." He took a sip. Her brown eyes twinkled as she looked at him over her mug.

"Are you not going to sit next to me?" She patted the seat next to her.

Tyler looked at the space, it was going to be a snug fit.

"Um, sure." He went and sat next to her and could feel the heat from her thigh against him. Sat so close he could see the light shimmer in her eye makeup. She was wearing a short black cord skirt, a deep purple vest top and sparkly sandals. Her hair was loose around her shoulders. She looked cute, as always. It wasn't hard to see why Matt had fallen for her - and when he did, he fell hard.

She began again to gently swing their seat and they both looked out at the horizon. It was Lockwood land for as far as the eye could see. It was the world his father and mother had built for themselves, but also for him. A world his mother expected him care about.

"Tyler, when did we stop being friends?" The question shocked him into the present.

"Did we?" She looked at him, gave him a gentle smile.

"I think so. The last time you and I spent any time alone together was when we were ten."

"That's not true. What about when you were dating Matt?"

"That was a long time ago. And even then, we were never really alone. But since then, not so much."

"You mean before the Salvatore brothers came to town."

"Yes."

"Before a lot of things."

"Yes." She agreed again. He noted something in her voice this time. Regret maybe? It was hard to pin down.

"So that's why you are here? Because you wanted to chill like old times?" He gave her a look to say he didn't quite buy it, but equally he didn't want to offend her. It wasn't like he didn't enjoy seeing her. In fact, it was nice. Weird nice - but nice all the same.

She suddenly turned in to him and put her hand on his knee. He felt a bit uncomfortable at that and tried to fathom what was going on behind her deep brown eyes.

"I wish we talked more, Tyler. Now, and before." He took a long drink from his mug and felt the burn of the malt.

"How's Stefan doing?" She wasn't the only one who could change the subject at will.

"Good. Fine. He's recovering." She seemed to clam up. She removed her hand and he suddenly realized he missed the gentle pressure of it against his skin.

"I heard Klaus left him at the door in a pool of his own blood."

"Yes, I was told he was in a bad state." Her eyes looked into the depth of her mug. "We're not together any more." She added suddenly. Tyler raised an eyebrow. He thought Elena and Stefan were one relationship that was carved in stone, but apparently not. He wasn't sure what to say, so he settled on a non-committal "I'm sorry to hear that." She shrugged.

"Are you and Caroline...?" She asked.

"Not really. You know, we like each other, but... I don't know. It never seems to happen." He admitted reluctantly. "We haven't seen each other in ages." He said. "Not since you went away actually." He paused. "Was it good - your break? I didn't think Damon did that kind of thing. You know, taking care of people."

"Hmm." She looked confused for a moment, then said. "But I'm back now."

"Home sweet home." He added for something to say.

"Home sweet home." She repeated. "So I guess you could say we are both free agents."

"I guess you could-" He wasn't sure where this was going, but he was fairly certain he was confused by it. It had been a while since a girl, well a woman really, had shown him some warmth. Suddenly he wanted that.

Sometime ago they had stopped swinging, but now she started it again. She took another sip from her mug.

"All gone." She stated.

"Sorry, I'm a bad host. Want another?" She nodded and he took her mug and hurried into the kitchen.

As he got the next drink, he realized his heart was racing a little, like he was eager to get back out there. He picked up the mugs when his phone started to buzz in his pocket. He put them down again and pulled the phone out. _Mom_. He hit reject call and switched it off.

* * *

><p>"Here you are."<p>

"Cheers." She smiled.

"Cheers." They clinked mugs enthusiastically for the second time and he looked out at the giant hazy sun, hovering just above the horizon. "Oh hey, I almost forgot..." He said getting to his feet, he disappeared back into the summer house and switched on the string of fairy lights his mom had asked him to fit last year. He heard her exclaim and he smiled. He jogged back outside and resumed his seat. Elena had braided her hair and it sat loosely unravelling itself on her shoulder.

"You hair looks pretty like that." He said. Then blushed. Did he just say that?

"Thank you." She said, genuinely sounding pleased with the compliment. She pulled her legs up into the chair and as there was barely enough space for the two of them, her knee slipped onto his leg. "The lights are so pretty."

"Oh you won't be saying that when every bug in the South decides to pay us a visit." She nudged him, and he nudged her back.

The sun took a real long time to set at this time of year and first it turned the sky every color of the rainbow before it would dip behind the horizon for good. It was the reason his father had built the summer house here. This field had an uninterrupted view towards the west.

Elena turned to him and smiled; a flash of pearl white teeth between perfect bow lips. He realized he had never taken the time to study her face before. Not since they were grown up anyway. He liked the little wisps of hair that framed her face. She had dark intelligent eyes that searched his with warmth and openness. Before Matt had started dating her, he had once asked for his opinion of her one night after a game. _'So, what do you think of Elena Gilbert?' _ He had said. They had both looked out between the bleachers as the cheerleaders collected their gear. He remember that he had looked her up and down. _'She's okay, I guess.'_ He had replied dismissively of his childhood friend. _'No tits though.'_

He winced just thinking about it. God he was an idiot. She was beautiful then like she was now.

She kicked her sandals off, shifted around and turned so that her back leant against the end of their chair. Then she threw her legs over his. He had no choice but to rest his hands on them, cup and all. Her legs were smooth and soft. His mind wandered to a thought of her shaving them that morning, he could picture the frothy scented gel washing away under a jet of water leaving behind just her naked, silky skin. He took another sip of his drink.

"I used to have a little crush on you you know." She said. He gave her a crooked smile.

"You did?"

"Sure, all the girls did. My friends used to say 'I can't believe you know him, he's so hot'."

"Ha! Hey were are they now? Perhaps I should look them up." She laughed. He liked that - making her laugh. He found himself absent-mindedly stroking her leg. He liked the cool silken feel of her skin. As soon as he realized he was doing it, he stopped.

"Don't stop." She said, "It feels nice. I don't suppose you do massages too?"

"Only the best foot massages in Mystic."

"Oh I think I'll be the judge of that." She said, bending her knees so that her feet where now resting on his lap. He shifted a little and he put down his cup, and began to massage her feet. She threw back her head and her braid slipped and unravelled itself almost entirely, leaving her hair to fall across her shoulder in soft waves.

"Oh you weren't kidding..." She murmured appreciatively.

"I told you." He said, working his thumbs around the rise of her toes. She had nice feet, smooth and well-cared for. "I might not be good at much, but _this_ I could make a career out of." Suddenly she pulled away and sat forwards facing towards him.

"Why'd you say that?" She said.

"What?" He answered, wondering why the change in mood.

"That you're not good at much? That's so not true." He felt himself blush. She continued to berate him. "Tyler you're so good at lots of things. I don't know why you'd even think that." She looked down, blushing a little herself after her outburst. He was taken aback. It was kind of a thrill to have someone as perfect as Elena Gilbert say something like that to him.

"I have to admit I never thought you really noticed me at all, Elena." He said.

"Tyler, its kind of hard _not_ to notice you." He stole a glance at her. Jesus, she was was really blushing now. "Maybe I still have a little crush on you." She said quietly, swinging her feet to the ground and rocking on her toes. He didn't know what to think. His heart was pounding so loudly, he was afraid she would hear it. He swithered between excitement and disbelief. What was happening here?

"You know, I think I was a bit jealous when Matt started dating you." He didn't know where the words came from, but he realized the truth of them as soon as they were said. "You were always so into each other. I felt kind of left out."

"I thought _you_ thought I was snooty!" She said. He gave her a sideways smile. "I thought that's why you never talked to me." She added.

"I kinda did. But I thought you were kinda hot too."

"You did?" She said, giving him a sideways glance. He caught her eye and nodded. Her grin started in her eyes.

"Well isn't that funny. So we both actually liked each other." She took another glance at him.

This was insane. He felt like he was fourteen again. His hands felt sweaty, his heart was racing and he was felt like he was on a rollercoaster ride that he didn't want to stop.

"Elena."

"Yes?"

"Would you like another drink?" She grinned and jumped to her feet.

"I'll get it." She ran indoors in her bare feet and he blew the air out of his lungs. What the hell was going on here? Was he reading this right? It sure felt like he was.

* * *

><p>She returned waving the bottle. "I thought I should just bring the whole thing." He smiled, she came and sat down next to him, and this time when her leg rested against his, he felt a little rush pass through him.<p>

She opened the whiskey and took a slug straight from the bottle and passed it to him. He took a swig and held it between his legs, twisting it by the neck round and round. He listened to the sound of the chicadas.

"The sunset is so lovely tonight." She stood up and moved over to the white wooden rail at the waist height. She leant against it and looked out. He tried not to notice that the way she leaned forward showed off more of her golden tan legs, (a result of her holiday he supposed). He thought it best if he stood too instead of just gawping at her. He walked over and stood beside her, his arm resting against hers. He handed her the bottle once more. She took a drink then handed it back. As he took it from her, their hands met. He didn't mean for it to happen, but when it did, he felt unmistakable electricity pass between them. She looked at him for a long moment and he realized how close he was to her. And suddenly he was drawing closer, so close he could almost feel her breath. He leaned down slowly and pressed his lips against hers. She was cool to his touch. They broke apart and he looked into her eyes searchingly. Did she want this? It was clear that she did. He put the bottle down on the ground and then he pulled her right into his arms, letting them slide around her as he kissed her long and passionately. Her soft lips pulled and brushed against his as her tongue probed his mouth. Her breathing grew ragged as he pulled her into his chest.

They kissed for what seemed like forever. It was arousing, tender and luscious. And when he drew away, he kept her close and watched her eyes sparkle.

"Wow." Was all he could say. And she smiled.

"Right back at you."

"If someone had told me I would be kissing Elena Gilbert tonight, I would have told them they were crazy."

"Its not _all_ I want to do." She said. Holy crap! Did she just suggest what he thought she did? He looked in her eyes, as if to say, did I hear that right? She gave him a suggestive smile.

"You don't want to take this a little slower?" He said, thinking whatever 'this' is. She shook her head.

"We're both adults." She said. "I like you, you like me-"

"Okay." He looked amazed, "Okay?" He asked again, the shock still in his voice. She stood on her tiptoes so she could kiss him again. He opened his eyes slowly.

"Its okay. I want to. Don't you?" She asked.

"Well, sure I do. Its just that... I want you to be sure. We don't have to rush this."

She leaned upwards again and whispered in his ear. "Tyler, I'm not wearing any panties." He vaguely registered that her voice sounded odd as as she said that, but he was quite taken aback.

"Oh my God." He ran a hand through his hair. He took her hand and lead her back to the porch seat. He turned around to say something to her and she leaned into him and kissed him before he could. He lost his balance and the chair swung into his legs and he sat down with a thump. She straddled him and he held her as the chair gently rocked. She stopped kissing him, and removed her own top. He stole a quick glance over the horizon to check his mom wasn't marching towards them and when he found that they were truly alone, his eyes quickly returned to the beautiful girl straddling his lap.

Her bra was black and plunging, his hands shook as he undid it. As he freed her breasts, he forgot all about his nervousness. His hands seemed so large on her body as he ran them down to the small of her back. He took each breast in turn into his mouth and sucked on her, his tongue flicking at her rose colored nipples. She sighed with pleasure. He leaned back and she helped him take off his sweater. He knew he was in good shape, but the way she ran her hands over his chest like she was amazed, pleased him.

"Elena, listen I don't have any protection. Maybe we should slow this down a little." She merely leaned in and kissed him, and with every touch of her tongue he found himself forgetting what he had just said. When she leaned down and loosened the tie of his shorts he wanted to stop her, but he just had no time to process what was happening. He was overcome with the rush of desire for this gorgeous girl who was pushing all his buttons. He was extraordinarily turned on. It got in the way of every thought.

He looked at her, her hair a little static in the cool evening air. With the golden sun setting behind her, she looked like she had a halo. She slipped her hands inside his shorts, he wasn't wearing anything underneath and as her hands stroked his flesh he felt himself shiver with anticipation. She pulled him free of the fabric and he felt the coolness of the evening breeze over his naked body. Just knowing she wore nothing under that skirt made him lose himself in desire for her. He put his feet hard on the ground to stop the seat rocking and she moved over him, pulled her skirt high onto her hips and revealed that secret dark triangle he ached for. He slipped himself into her with a sigh. She began to move and they started to rock, she put her hands either side of his head and gripped at the seat. He couldn't believe how good this felt, the rocking motion meeting her own gyrations. Soon they were both crying out. He gripped her thighs as he came inside of her. She followed close behind.

As soon as she came, it happened. Something immediately changed in her and she looked at him with horror and she scrambled to get off of him. What with the swinging of the chair it was difficult to do.

"Tyler?" She fell backwards, he reached down immediately for her, but she pulled away from his outstretched hand. She was shaking.

"Elena? What is it? What's wrong?" She was freaking out; grabbing for her clothes, covering herself up and repeating, "Oh my God, oh my God." He pulled his shorts back up rapidly and went over to her, put his hand on her arm, she couldn't look him in the eye. She was crying. "Jesus Elena, what is it? Did I hurt you?" She tried to push past him, but he took hold of both her arms, and spun her to face him. "Elena please, sit down. I'm not letting you leave like this." He was badly shaken, she was acting like he had raped her.

"What is it?" He forced her to sit and he held onto her shaking body. Tears poured out of her eyes. He cursed. "I said we should take this more slowly! You regret it don't you?" When she said nothing he turned away, picked up the bottle and hurled it as far as he could into the field. "Fuck!" He shouted as it smashed.

"Tyler, I don't understand, I don't understand what happened here!"

He turned to face her, his eyes searching hers. He felt totally lost.

"What do you mean, you don't understand? You came here, you told me you wanted to be with me. Elena..." He knelt down in front of of her and rested his hand on her shaking knee. "We were together because I thought you wanted to be. What's happened?"

"I don't remember how I got here! How did I get here?" She sounded hysterical.

"Wait here." He grabbed for a mug and went and got some water for her. He sat beside her on the seat and she drank, her hands shaking all the time.

"Tyler, did we...?"

"You mean you don't remember? This is crazy."

He ran his hand through his hair again. He reached for his abandoned sweater and pulled it on, suddenly he felt cold, naked and vulnerable. Something wasn't right here - not right at all. In fact, now he came to think of it, so many things weren't right about this evening, starting with Elena turning up at his door at all. He began to run through all the little things that had not quite added up, the way she couldn't tell him why she was there, the fact she didn't really seem to know she had been on holiday, and finally that line about not wearing any panties. That wasn't the kind of thing she would say - or _do_ now he came to think of it. Not the Elena he knew anyway. He shut his eyes and cursed himself. It was just the kind of thing someone would tell her to say to turn him on. And all that stuff about 'you're so good at lots of things', and the flirting. Christ, he fell for it hook, line and sinker. He felt sick to his stomach.

"I think you've been compelled." He said quietly.

"Who would do such a thing?" She turned to face him shocked.

"I don't know, but when I find out, they are dead."


	5. As the Sun is Rising

**Okay, for the sake of clarity - I will call any chapter with Elena/Damon on the Island, or the stuff that is simultaneously happening back in Mystic with Stefan/Caroline/Jeremy, 'Present Day'. Everything else I will mark up when it is happening, such as the previous Tyler/Elena chapter.**

**Now all that is as clear as mud, I will continue...**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

**As the Sun is Rising**

**PRESENT DAY**

She was running, not jogging. Her ponytail bounced fiercely as her feet thundered on the treadmill. She could feel the sweat damp on her back and under her arms. She had been sprinting so long that the guy on the machine next to her looked worried and reminded her that she should rehydrate, before he gave up trying to keep pace and left the gym.

She liked the pain that burned in her chest, her thighs, her calves. She liked the sweat that stung her eyes and the rhythm of her pounding feet. This required only her silence, her suffering and nothing else. She couldn't think - she could only run.

He came in and moved to her machine. She sensed him at her side. She didn't need to see his face to know that he was confused and angry. He messed with the controls and slowed her down.

"I want to talk to you."

She showed her irritation, turned the pace back up, continued at her punishing speed. Her breaths came in controlled huffs. She ran a wrist band over her face to wipe away the perspiration.

He brought the machine down to a fast walk. She glared, but accepted the new speed and strode hard.

"Why didn't you tell me where you were going?" He said. "I've been looking for you everywhere."

She drank from her water bottle. Turned the speed back up to a slow jog. His hands rested on the machine's hand rails.

"Elena, please can you just stop."

"I'm warming down." She said. He waited for her impatiently. After a couple of minutes she slowed her pace to a standstill. She rested with her hands on her sides for a moment, breathing heavily. He handed her her towel and she wiped her face and the back of her neck. She slung the towel over her shoulder, drank water and retied her hair.

"What is it, Damon?"

"You and I need to talk. Why are you avoiding me?"

"I needed a workout."

She pulled the towel off her shoulder, picked up her water bottle and turned her back on him, crossing the room. She headed over to an exercise matt, which she sat down on and began stretching. He tried not to show his impatience and walked over to her. Balanced himself on a Swiss exercise ball and glared.

"I'm not avoiding you. I just came for a run." She said.

He looked away, wondered why she was lying to him.

"You know what I want to talk about." He stated. Harshness entered his voice even though he didn't mean for it to.

She pushed her torso down towards the ground, stretched her hands towards her feet. Winced. Perhaps she had overdone it.

* * *

><p>As he watched her stretch, he thought back to the day before. They had returned home in silence after their day at the waterfall. Back at the hotel instead of going to dinner with him, she cried-off with a migraine, and went and slept in her own bed with the door shut. He had retreated to his own room where he stayed awake for most of the night, his brain endlessly thinking things over.<p>

When he got up this morning determined to talk to her, there was no sign of her anywhere. He had looked high and low. The pool, the beach, the hotel lounge - she wasn't in any of them. It was only when he was making his way back to their room that he spotted the sign for the gym in the elevator. It was then that it clicked. And he had come straight here.

"Elena, I said that I wanted you to marry me. And I think you don't want to discuss it. I need to know why."

She stopped her stretching for a moment, then continued with it. She didn't make eye contact.

"Oh that." She said flatly. "I assumed you didn't mean it." Damon got off of the ball and got down on his knees, took her chin in his hand and forced her to look at him. Even then her eyes could only meet his for a moment before they looked away again. He could see she was trying so damn hard not to betray any emotion. She was bottling everything up again, after he tried so hard to get herself to open up.

"Why would you think that?" He said at last. "Because I'm not the marrying kind, or because you just don't want to?" She was silent. His eyes continued to search hers looking for answers. He really wanted to figure her out. "Or did you want the full one knee and orchestra proposal? Because if you did, you have the wrong brother." When she didn't answer, he stood up, strode angrily towards the door. She jumped up and immediately ran after him.

"Stop, Damon! Stop. Just wait." He waited with his hand on the door, his back turned towards her.

"Why do you want to marry me?" She said eventually, her voice cracking a little. He turned to face her, confused.

"Because I love you." He stated simply. "Do I need another reason?"

She looked away, far away as though she were somewhere else. Then she came back to him.

He examined her now as though he has never seen her before. No make-up, sweat drenched, her cheeks flushed with exertion. He tucked a fallen strand of hair behind her ear.

"You are so beautiful." He mused as though she wasn't even there. She smiled at last, raised an eyebrow ironically.

"Really? Looking like this?" Her tone was playful despite her stress, and he smiled, although there was no real warmth in it. He worried about the conversation still to come.

"Yes, like this." He assured her. "Like every-which-way." He ran his thumb across her cheek. "I love your heat." He looked at her seriously. Softened his voice. "Elena, please talk to me." He said gently. "I know I haven't always given you cause to believe me, but why would you think I wouldn't be serious about this?"

"Damon, I got into my room last night and my head was spinning. I mean, when you look at his logically, you have slept with your brother's girlfriend twice and then you propose. Come on," she raised her hands to express herself, "by anyone's standards, that's insane!" He furrowed his brow, let the silence between them grow.

"_Are_ you my brother's girlfriend?" He said quietly. She looked down.

"I think you know that's not what I mean. But what I am saying is that if somebody else looked at this-" She began, but he interrupted her angrily.

"I don't give a rat's ass what anyone else thinks! I just want to know what you think." His eyes burned into hers. She felt cold all of a sudden. Hugged herself.

"Please let me go freshen up, Damon. Then we'll go somewhere, talk properly. I promise." He nodded, reluctantly. Like all things in his life he wanted this to happen right now, but he knew he couldn't rush her or she would shut down.

* * *

><p>In the hotel lounge he waited anxiously and when she came into the room, he realized he had been wringing his hands.<p>

"Shall we go for a walk?" He asked her. She nodded, smiled, but the smile quickly faded. She was as nervous as he was. He put a guiding arm around her waist and they left the hotel. The doorman wished them good day and recommended a little cafe near the riverside that opened early if they haven't already eaten breakfast. And why would they have? It was only just dawn and the sun was still rising.

They decided to stroll in that direction. They walked side by side alongside a broken down old wall. He noted that she didn't reach for his hand. Neither of them wanted to start this conversation, but it was clear he had to, or they would walk in silence for the rest of the day.

"Elena, level with me. What is it that you feel you can't say to me?"

She looked at the dusty road, the dirt working its way through her sandals.

"I won't get angry." He continued. She took a deep breath before she spoke.

"You say you love me, but how can you? So soon? We've hardly been together any time at all. I'm not sure you even know me all that well." He caught up to her, turned her around. He persuaded her down to sit next to him on the broken wall. From here they could see the sea, even though the tide was out.

He moved his leg so he was sat astride the wall and facing her, and then she moved to do the same. They sat like that for a moment, looking at each other, occasionally letting their gaze look out to the sea and the beginnings of a sunrise.

"I don't think this is about love, or how well I know you." He said after a moment. "I think this is about trust." She shook her head and was about to protest, but he grasped her hand and she grew quiet. "You trusted Stefan, didn't you? You felt you knew who he was and who he could be." He swallowed. She looked down. "I think you don't know yet if you can trust me. And I suppose I deserve that." Both their thoughts rushed immediately to Jeremy. When she didn't answer, he knew he was right. He continued.

"I'm going to tell you the truth, because I think you need to hear it." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I said those words yesterday my instant thought was 'Jesus, Damon, what the hell are you saying? You don't want to settle down. You aren't going to become a nine-to-five guy, with a Volvo. What are you thinking? This girl is seventeen. Seventeen! She's just a kid.'" He paused, looked at her downcast eyes, her sagging shoulders. "'You're an idiot. You can have whatever you want, _whoever_ you want. What's the point of eternity if you can't have some damn fun? Why ruin it?'"

He looked at her again, this time her eyes had filled with tears, but she was listening. She wanted this, no matter how hard it was to hear. "'What the hell do you have to offer her anyway? She doesn't want a fuck up like you. She wants a normal guy, a normal life. Kids. She doesn't want to marry a killer." His voice lowered, almost to a whisper. "And I have killed, and I have enjoyed it, Elena. Good people. Lots of them..." He paused at this, watched for the impact of his words. He saw the subtle shifts in her body, the way she deflated a little, the way her eyes looked away. She did it all, but she never let go of his hand.

"I thought 'she doesn't want to have a life always looking over her shoulder wondering where the next threat is coming from. And you have over a century of bad shit just waiting to catch you up. Why would she want that?'" He paused, sighed at that. "'And she doesn't want to become a vampire either, so you are gonna have to watch her get old and die. Are you gonna want her when she's fifty? How about seventy?...'" Her tears spilled over now. He knew his words were brutal, but he couldn't stop. She needed to hear this and he needed to say it. "'...And what about when her body is old and wrinkled and you are still able to walk into a bar and pull another hot, seventeen year-old. You gonna want her then? How about when she is menopausal, arthritic - has Alzheimer's? You going to clean up after her when she's incontinent?-"

"Damon, stop! Please stop." She gasped breathlessly. She couldn't hear any more. Her tears had streamed down her face and she was sobbing. She finally let go of his hand, but only to wipe her tears away. He let the moment pass, felt the tension dissipate. In the silence he let himself feel the truth of his words, let himself dig deep into his heart - the one that still beat.

"You know what?" He began again quietly, "Being a vampire means I never have to settle, never commit - I can chose whatever I want to do and whoever I want to do it with for the rest of my life. And in that moment, when I looked at you yesterday Elena, I knew something with as much certainty as I have ever known anything. I want you. All of you. All of that."

He moved forwards so that her knees were locked inside of his, he pressed the palm of his hand against her cheek gently and looked lovingly at her face. "I knew it the moment I saw you. You turn me inside out, Elena. I don't want eternity if I can't spend at least a part of it with you." His lips were so close to her mouth he could feel her shake. His hand continued to caress her face, he brought his other hand up to join it. He looked deep into her eyes as he held her. The sun rose beside them in a blaze of shimmering, golden glory. "I want to be there through every step of your life. All of it. Even the bad stuff, because it's all _your_ life. Your experiences. You." He took both her shaking hands in his own and rested them on her thighs. Her brown eyes were as large as he had ever seen them, the pupils almost black.

"I thought I knew about love. I thought it meant showing someone the lengths you would go to for them, but that's not true. It means you can't exist without them because they are part of you. And even when they hurt you, or let you down, you carry them inside you. Elena, you are part of me now. I think you are the best part of me. And being with you makes me beyond happy - something I don't even deserve." He squeezed her hands. "I can't promise I won't fuck up, or that I will change overnight into the man you want me to be. I wish I could. But I knew as soon as I said those words with every fibre of my body, I would never _ever_ regret them. The only thing I would ever regret is if I never said them." He finished his speech and let her hands go. He sat back on his part of the wall and gave her some space. Eventually he got to his feet. He moved back onto the road, looked away from the sunrise. He couldn't bring himself to look it at any more.

She was shaking. Shaking so hard she could barely get to her feet. But she did. She stepped over the wall and went to him. She had never known him be like this. But something inside her told her that this was the Damon she knew and understood. The person she trusted and loved, and wanted to be with. She moved into his arms, and he wrapped her tightly into them, crushing her into his body. Finally she looked up at him and their lips met. Suddenly she realized that the ground was no longer underneath her feet. He leapt with her in his arms over the sea wall and down onto the deserted beach. The next thing she felt was damp, heavy sand in her hair as he lay her down beneath him. She looked up at him, his amazing eyes, dark hair, pale skin. He would never change, never differ physically, but perhaps it wasn't important. Perhaps caring about that was totally insignificant. She cared about the soul he had bared to her, the way he loved her fiercely. He was asking her to trust him, telling her he would never knowingly hurt her again. Life with him would be hard and dangerous, but it would never be boring, never predictable. She knew he was a risk worth taking.

His muscled arms were taking his weight as he leaned over her, but she wanted to feel him and she pulled him down onto her body so that they sank into each other. His soft, silken tongue slipped into her mouth and moved against hers, tasting, probing, stroking - making her wet for him. Suddenly it seemed as though every moment he wasn't inside her, was a moment wasted. His knee was between her legs and she was grinding against him, knowing he was already achingly hard for her, pressing into her, making her arch her back with need. Her hands were everywhere, pulling him closer, touching his body and telling herself that this magnificent creature had chosen her, had been overcome with desire for her and beyond his own expectations, with love.

She tugged at the hem of his t-shirt and he removed it quickly, flexing his lithe body as he did so. She loved how he looked in the sunlight, his body lit up with the warm orange glow.

"Is this a yes?" He said. Trying hard to speak because she kept drawing him down onto her mouth so she could consume him with kisses.

"Yes." She said. "Yes, yes, yes."

* * *

><p>They walked side by side back to the road, and made their way inland down to the cafe that the doorman had recommended. As they walked, they stole glances at each other, shared secret smiles about what had just happened. When they arrived, the waiter politely ignored their disheveled state and the sand in their hair and let them in, despite the fact that they were not yet open. He sat them outside where they overlooked a little river. The place was still getting ready for opening, and the staff moved around behind them, sweeping floors, collecting deliveries and generally working hard to begin their day.<p>

Still they could barely look at each other without smiling. They would steal glances at one another then look away. Elena's heart beat so fast she felt she would burst from it. Whenever she looked at him, she thought back to her hand on his naked behind, pulling him deeper. She could feel his lips on her throat as he thrust. Whenever he looked at her he pictured her rising above him against the sunlight, his hands on her waist, the sand on her tan skin, her hair damp from the tide that came in around them.

The waiter brought them coffee and fresh fruit, and they sat in silence because words no longer seemed adequate. Eventually they drank and ate a little. There fingers deliberately brushing against each other. She reached again for her coffee and he rested his hand on hers. She looked into his eyes.

"Damon, can I ask you something?" He looked wary, but nodded. "You never, you know, bite me." She said eventually. "Do you want to?"

"Yes. Of course."

"Then why..?" He smiled, laced his fingers through hers. She suspected she knew the pleasure it could bring to both of them.

"One day. When the time is right." He said. "You'll know it and so will I."

He glanced at her hand in his, and then his gaze moved back to her face. He loved her like this, every day she became more womanly, more confident. He stood and moved over to her never letting go of her hand, and she looked up at him in surprise. He pulled her to her feet, and they curved into each other and kissed long and hard. They only stopped when they heard the polite, gentle cough of the waiter behind them. Elena blushed and looked away, but Damon met his eyes proudly and said.

"We've just got engaged."

"Congratulations sir! We all suspected that might be the case." The waiter said with a grin. "They're getting married!" He called over his shoulder, and the staff behind him all cheered and clapped. Elena turned and looked shyly into the cafe, a grin on her face, then she turned and hid her face with embarrassment into Damon's shoulder. He pulled her in close with his arm around her shoulder.

"How much do we owe you?" He asked.

"It's on the house." The waiter replied. "We hope you will be very happy together."

Damon looked down at Elena and she met his eyes. "We will." He said.

* * *

><p><strong>I hope you liked that. I wanted to write something nice for Damon because he gets such a rough time in the series. I think he just needs a chance to say what he thinks. He has to be so repressed all the time.<strong>

**Anyway...I know some of you think Damon would never propose to Elena, but I think that aside from that fact that he is deeply rash and impetuous, that he really wants to open his heart to someone very badly. And so, I'm running with it. Besides, I wanted to do a happy moment for a change! **

**Let's just go with the fantasy for a while. :-) **


	6. Room 401

**This chapter contains the usual bad language, lemons and general vampire naughtiness I am sure you have come to expect of me. Also, it probably has the same general slack approach to storyline facts, so please forgive any appalling deviations from the series. They aren't intentional, I just have a bad memory.**

**Do let me know if you enjoy it. Or not (eek).**

**PS just a reminder that this happening simultaneously to what is happening to Damon and Elena on the island.**

**PPS there is no particular significance to the room number, I just wanted to use it as a storytelling device. Both women having very different experiences in rooms that happen to have the same number. **

* * *

><p><strong>In the Hour Before Dawn <strong>

**Chapter 5: Room 401**

**PRESENT DAY**

Katherine had made it half way to New York before she realized it wasn't what she wanted. She stopped her bike on the side of the road, took off her helmet and shook out her hair.

She didn't have to run anymore. The realization hit her like a punch to the guts.

"Fuck." She said as she ran her fingers through her locks and separated the waves. Why hadn't she thought of it before? Why did this come as a complete shock to her now? Maybe she was just so used to being on the run, she had flipped onto auto-pilot. Klaus was with Stefan, he wasn't interested in her anymore. Well, for the time-being anyway.

Already she had spent a few days on the road, suffered a flat and stayed in several flea-pit motels. All for nothing. Why had it never occurred to her even once that she didn't have to do any of it? What a total waste of time.

She got back on the bike, put her helmet back on and skidded across to the other side of the road. She revved her engine, tore away at speed and let the wind meet her back.

* * *

><p>"I thought <em>you<em> were going North?" Quipped the man with the grey-blue eyes. She punched the bell on his desk just to be obnoxious, even though he was sat right there. He grated his teeth when it rang.

"And I thought about fucking you again, but gee, I guess some plans _do_ change."

He slid her room key under the glass violently as he blew cigarette smoke out of his nose. She tossed her hair and swung the key on her finger as she walked away. He popped another Nicorette in his mouth and watched her ass.

She really had been a great lay, even if he didn't remember how he got those marks on his throat. That's why he had given her the room with the bedbugs.

* * *

><p>Alaric walked into Stefan's room, went over to him and told him he was going to change his sheets. The vampire's eyes moved over him cooly.<p>

"I don't sweat you know. In fact I exude very few bodily secretions."

"Stefan, the sooner we get this over with, the easier it is for both of us." He said in his distinctive almost lazy tone. His eyes narrowed, "And remember, I have enough vervain on me to bring down a host of vampires. So just chill, okay?"

Stefan smiled. "Go ahead. Do what you feel you need to do."

Alaric changed the sheets with speed and efficiency, and Stefan was obedient and even helpful, pulling his chains out of the way and lifting his butt when need be. The job took about five minutes and when it was done, Alaric asked him if he needed anything. When he said no, the history teacher walked right out of his room and shut the door firmly behind him. Stefan leaned back onto his pillow and let his eyes scan the ceiling.

Alaric and Bonnie never spent any time with him on their own.

He smiled. They were the smart ones.

* * *

><p><em>She felt his lips as he brushed them against her shoulder, "You truly are stunning." He whispered. She blushed prettily. <em>

_His hand pulled down the delicate zip of her one-shoulder dress - inching it all the way down her back and over her rear. The black crepe fell from her shoulder, she felt the kiss of the cool air on her bare skin. She realized it would only take a light brush of his hands to persuade the rest of the soft fabric to continue to fall. With one deft move, he did just that. As the dress slid over her body, she shyly covered her naked breasts with her hands and stepped carefully from it when it fell to the floor. She didn't want to damage the fabric with her beautiful five-inch heels. _

_She could feel him looking, taking her in. She wore the lingerie he bought her, the stockings, garter and thong. These tiny items of exclusive apparel probably cost more than the entire contents of her wardrobe. The stockings had deep silk tops that were tied to her garter with little silk bows. She knew the matt-black fabric was a delicious contrast to her lily white skin. She felt amazing._

_Although she tried hard to stand still and be confident under his gaze, she shivered a little and still cradled her breasts. She dug deep and found the confidence she needed to lower her hands and reveal her gentle curves. _

"_You looked stunning in that dress, but you look even better out of it." He let his eyes run all over her body, slowly, deliberately. And although she was nervous, she held her head high and let his powerful gaze fill her with a fire in her belly. _

* * *

><p>Katherine flopped down onto the bed and tested the springs. Turned out room 401 was no less shitty than no. 255 on her last visit. She got up and tossed her leather jacket into the corner of the room, picked up the bottle of vodka she swiped from the liquor store on the way over and chucked the lid into the trash. She wasn't going to need <em>that<em> again.

She turned on the TV, which would only show MTV Rock. She was about to turn it off since Marilyn Manson wasn't really her thing, when suddenly a band came on that she hadn't heard since the nineties. In the video the blonde singer was driving a car into oncoming traffic and the cars were swerving and crashing as they tried to avoid her. The caption on the screen told her this version of the video had been previously banned. She tossed back a mouthful of vodka and watched, intrigued. She liked the video's reckless nihilism, and the incongruous pretty vocals of the singer juxtaposed with the darkness of the images.

When it got to the end, she wished she could replay it. Instead she turned up the volume and half drinking, half dancing, got changed into a very short skirt and revealing vest.

Her mind ticked over the whole time wondering about the wisdom of going back. She hated to admit it to herself, but hell, the doppelgänger interested her. She felt drawn to be a part of her life. Not in any mentor-like way, but Elena was an ancestor, and it was odd how her life had also become inextricably interwoven with the Salvatore brothers. Katherine didn't believe in destiny or any of that BS, but she did feel that somehow their story wasn't over yet.

She downed some more of drink. When she could feel the buzz of the vodka hit her before her blood killed its effects, she grabbed her keys, jacket and wallet and left the room.

* * *

><p><em>The whole evening up to this point has made her feel incredible - starting from the moment his chauffeur turned up at her door bearing a towering load of gift boxes, to the moment the maitre'd told her that for he only gave his best table to his 'most beautiful guests'. By the time they had retreated to his penthouse suite in this opulent hotel, she was in seventh heaven. Room 401 was a number she'd never forget.<em>

_Her handsome host walked over to the pink champagne they had on ice and poured her a glass. She took it and sipped, giving him coquettish little glances. She was a a bit confused when he walked away and wondered if he would ever touch her, as she was starting to feel a little foolish._

_As he walked away, he shucked his tuxedo and tossed it onto a chair. He flipped open the buttons of his shirt and allowed it fall open, revealing his slender, muscular body. He pushed a hand through his hair, then nonchalantly walked back to the ice bucket, plucked an ice cube from it and put it in his mouth. She made a little sound of shock when he appeared at her side in an instant. His hand encircled her waist and he finally moved in to kiss her. As their lips connected, he slipped the ice cube into her mouth. They passed it between them back and forth as they kissed until it was smooth and rounded, at which point he took it back into his mouth and moved his icy lips to her breast. _

_He moved the ice across her coral nipple, the skin drew together in a tight contraction. She cried out as this new sensation hit her._

_She made appreciative little sounds as he continued to caress her. His frozen lips bearing the ice wove a watery trail across her belly. Suddenly his fingers looped themselves into her thong and he slipped it over her stockings. She stepped out of the panties and he held her hips still, then quickly darted his extra cold tongue between her legs. She cried out as the last of the ice was rubbed over the little bundle of nerves that made her whole body shudder. _

"_Oh..." She gasped. _

_Her host reached up, took the glass of champagne out of her hand, took a mouthful, then put it on the floor. He swept her into his arms and carried her to the bed. He went quickly back down between her legs - only this time instead of ice, he let the champagne bubbles break over her skin. Her mouth formed a perfect 'o' as the feeling shot through her body. He picked up the glass and repeated the process, but as the champagne began to dribble towards that expensive lingerie, she panicked and tried to undo the garter belt._

"_Leave it on. Please..." He said huskily, and she did as she was told. "Just relax." He added, then with his tongue and fingers he set about making her forget her own name._

"_Oh Stefan," she purred, "I love the things you do to me..." _

_He came out from between her legs, looked up at her cornflower blue eyes. His hands caressed the tops of the stockings._

"_Caroline," he said in a low and seductive voice, "I haven't even started yet."_

* * *

><p>As Katherine swept into the bar, every eye turned her way. The thirty or so bikers shifted in their seats as though they subconsciously sensed a predator in their midst. There was only half a dozen women in here and most of the men were over thirty and the younger ones were desperate to be noticed. This was just the kind of place she loved. She winked at the bearded, tattooed guys to her left and sashayed her way to the bar. Most of their jackets read ' Hawkers'.<p>

"Bourbon." She demanded, even though the barman was serving someone else. He gave her a tired look as though he had dealt with her type a thousand times before. She seriously doubted that. He finished serving the two bikers at the bar who she could feel were watching her without actually looking and then he sauntered towards her, a bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand. He picked up a shot glass as he walked.

"Line 'em up." She said as he approached. He slowly pulled up two more shot glasses onto the bar and placed all three in a row. She held up her hand. Five. He gave her a look of studied boredom, then languidly got another two. With a practiced hand he ran the bottle lazily across all five glasses and hardly spilled any liquor in the process. He told her the price and for a change she actually paid. She looked at the boys watching her at the bar, and then one at a time downed each of the five shots in quick succession. They didn't react, just turned back to nursing their beers with whisky chasers.

She saw a group of five younger men hanging around a juke box in the opposite corner, good-naturedly fighting over song choices. They looked like they may be more fun. She made a beeline for them. As she walked over, she tuned her hearing into their conversation.

"Fifty dollars says she slaps you so hard, you end up back in your momma's womb." Said the dark one with the green eyes.

"Oh yeah? Watch and learn buddy." Said the one with the dark blonde curls. His leather jacket said 'Novice'. She put on her best smile and went over to them.

"Excuse me boys, but I couldn't help but notice the juke box. Mind if I sneak in and make a choice?" She wasn't above playing the part of a Southern belle when it suited.

"Why, you go right ahead, sweetheart." Said one of the lads as the group parted to let her through. "Here, this one is on me." The dark haired boy popped a coin in the slot. She fluttered her eyelashes at him and gave him her sweetest smile. She leaned over the juke box and flicked through the choices, revealing more of her legs than was entirely decent. The boys jostled and goosed each other. She didn't have to have super senses to know what hand gestures they were making behind her back.

"Hmm, well I don't know." She declared, "there is just too much choice!" She turned to the tall blonde Novice with the curls, "I swear I just don't know where to start."

"What's your name ma'am?" Novice said, gaining sniggers from his mates, who he ignored.

"Katherine." She gave him a smile.

"Well, Katherine, perhaps you would allow me to make a choice for you?"

"Why yes, that would be nice." She continued to flutter her eyelashes. She was at least a foot shorter than all of them, and she loved the testosterone she could feel coming off them in waves. She could smell their sweat, feel their heat, and the intensity of their masculine desire wash over her.

He chose a Joan Jett song. She grinned.

"Ooh, I love this!" She squealed. "_I hate myself for lovin' you_." She sang. Novice smiled. He took her hand and lead her away from the group, creating some envious looks. There wasn't exactly a dance floor in this place, but there was an area near the juke box which didn't have any tables and so they began to dance, with her moving around him, and rubbing herself over him like a cat.

It was easy after that. She could of taken him there and then - hell, she could have taken all of them. But she was actually having a little fun, and Novice wasn't a bad dancer and nor would he let her pay for a single drink. What's more, he kept them coming, so in return she had spent the night draping herself on him and putting her tongue down his throat. He grabbed her ass with both hands and squeezed it so hard that if she were human she would have been bruised. The lads he was with conceded defeat and out of the corner of her eye she saw money change hands. Meanwhile, she continued to make every man in the place hot for her and a couple of the women too.

It got to two am, and she dragged the Novice's drunken ass with her out the back. She let him paw at her for a bit whilst they leant up against the fire escape. Looking at the bulge in his pants it was clear he was generously endowed and she half considered taking advantage of that, but her other hunger felt much more pressing now.

She loved this feeling just before the kill, when her energy was waning and all she could hear was the sound of his heart beating. It was like time stood still.

"I think I love you." He whispered drunkenly into her throat and she let him him get his flies half way down, before she attacked. As she sank her teeth very deep into his throat, he convulsed in her arms, she squeezed him bone-crushingly tight, his hard on that had been pressing into her leg stiffened even more. Wow. Death throw hard-on, it had been a while since she had induced one of those.

She felt his blood gush down her throat and let the feeling of power and revitalization overwhelm her. He whimpered as he died and she dropped him in a heap at her feet. She drew the back of her hand across her mouth and began to walk back into the club. It was then that she bumped into his friends. All four of them. They were hot, horny and angry. They were also armed.

It was no contest.

* * *

><p>Caroline woke up tangled in her sheets and fell out of her bed with a thump. She was crazily disorientated and completely and utterly shocked. Vampires didn't dream! They were dead, there were no brain synapses to fire. It was impossible. And yet, it had happened and it had felt incredibly (wonderfully) real. She was embarrassed to realize that the physical response she'd had in the dream, had happened in reality. Somebody had been able to get inside her mind and control her thoughts. What's more, they knew exactly what she would dream about if she could.<p>

Oh crap, crap, crap.

* * *

><p>Katherine woke up fully clothed on top of her bed with the kind of blood-headache she used to get when she was still a new vampire and had over-indulged. It would pass immediately now she was awake.<p>

Suddenly she remembered what had happened to give her the headache in the first place. She panicked and sat bolt upright. Her head was suddenly one hundred per-cent clear. Her clothes smelled of smoke and she tore them off her body. She would have to burn them too. The bodies, the club, the fire. It had been a massacre - totally out of control. She needed to get out of here fast and bury herself in the middle of nowhere. It was reassuring to know she was already heading back to Mystic.

Oh shit, shit, shit.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: The video Katherine watches is Losing My Favorite Game by The Cardigans (one of the banned versions)<strong>

**Caroline's dress: bit DOT ly slash ppYdCM, Lingerie: bit DOT ly slash oFsKZ6, Shoes: bit DOT ly slash reYu53**


	7. Secrets and Lies

**So sorry this chapter is so long. I could have edited it down more I guess, but I wanted to get it posted this year, not next.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7: Secrets and Lies<strong>

**DAY EIGHT OF THE HOLIDAY**

Damon woke up first. He was nestled into her body with her hair stuck to his mouth. He didn't care. He pushed in closer. She wriggled against him in her sleep as though they had always slept like this. Two souls. One body.

* * *

><p>They had decided that today was to be their last on the island, cutting their holiday short by just under a fortnight. Their flights had already been re-booked and they had pretty much packed.<p>

He hadn't meant to let her sleep so long, after all they had plans, but watching her so serene was an indulgence he just couldn't refuse himself.

Suddenly he became conscious that he was smiling. It was a shock to realize that something as simple as watching Elena rest could make him so happy. She stirred and he ran the back of his fingers over her cheek as her eyes drifted open.

On seeing his face, she smiled sleepily and he swore there and then that he never wanted to wake up next to anyone else.

"Good morning." He said.

"What time is it?"

"About midday I think." She extracted herself from his arms and sat upright.

"I don't remember the last time I slept this late."

She got out of bed and disappeared into the bathroom. He turned on the TV and found CNN. The news bulletin was from Lincolnville, South Carolina. A fire had killed thirty two patrons in a bar. There were no survivors. He flicked channels for a bit, then switched the TV off.

He got up and stretched leisurely. Soon they would be saying goodbye paradise, hello Mystic and facing all the problems they'd tried to leave behind.

He didn't relish the idea of going home any more than she did, so the best they could do was try and make their last hours on the island memorable.

* * *

><p>When she came back to the room wearing nothing but a towel, she discovered a dress box laying on the bed. She stopped in her tracks and looked at him. He gave nothing away as he calmly returned her gaze.<p>

"What's this?" She asked him. He stayed silent. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

She looked down to see if there was a card on the gift box. There was. On the envelope written in old-fashioned cursive script was her name. She looked at him again, but he seemed suddenly fascinated by the cloudless sky outside their window. She hesitated for a moment, then slipped open the little gold card.

_Forever yours,_

_Damon_

_x_

At the bottom of the card he had drawn a single kiss. For him, this seemed astoundingly sentimental. It made her glow inside.

She turned her attention to the package, removed the lid, slipped the folds of tissue paper open and saw a beautiful pink satin dress inside. It took her a moment to realize that it was exactly the same shade as the camisole set she wore the night they got together.

She carefully lifted the dress from the box and held it up. It was strapless, beautifully structured and cut to flatter - but what struck her most was how edgy it was. It had asymmetric hems, sharp folds of fabric across the bust and a gathered area at the hip. It was something she never would have dared to pick out for herself, but was incredibly flattered that this was something he pictured her in. She didn't know an awful lot about fashion, but she knew the designer before her eyes even caught sight of the label. Vivienne Westwood.

She realized she was shaking and so she put the dress carefully back in the box and turned to face him. He was at last watching her. She walked over to him and threaded her arms around his waist.

Words weren't quite enough, but they had to do. "Damon, it's stunning." She leaned up and kissed him softly. "Thank you." He didn't kiss her back, but looked into her eyes instead, watching her pupils expand when she looked at him.

"Try it on." He said at last. She grinned and moved away from him and as she did so, he pulled the towel from her body. She covered herself instinctively and turned to look at him accusatively. His face was the picture of innocence. She moved naked over to the dress, aware that he grinned as he watched her.

"I need to find some underwear first." She said. He shook his head.

"You're fine as you are. Just try it on." He moved over to help zip it up. When his hand reached the top of the zip, he planted a kiss on her bare neck before she dropped her hair.

She sighed with awe, the dress fit her like a glove. Trust him to get her size exactly right.

"Turn around." He said softly. Blushing, she turned to face him.

He screwed up his face. She was shocked. What? Did she look awful? Was it too much for her? Oh God, perhaps she looked like a child playing in a grown-ups dressing up box!

She ran to full length mirror and gasped. She looked like a movie star. She turned this way and that and admired her profile from every angle. Then she turned back to him. What was his problem anyway?

"Don't you like it?" She said in a little voice; hurt that the dress which made her feel so amazing had not brought a smile from the person who bought it.

"It's missing something." He said. He pulled his hand around from behind his back, and revealed the concealed shoe box he held there. Her mouth fell open when he tossed the lid, leaned down and helped her into a pair of gorgeous, dark-blue velvet Jimmy Choos. As he straightened up, she caught sight of his reflection behind her. There was no mistaking the look in his eyes. It was pure, unadulterated lust.

On seeing he had been caught out, he slipped his arms carefully around her waist and held her close.

"You are the reason that dress comes alive." He whispered in her ear.

* * *

><p>He had helped her out of the dress and back into bed - throwing their plans for the day right out the window. But damn, he only had a certain amount of self-control and she tested it every which way.<p>

Eventually potential starvation forced them to leave the room to forage for food. They found a bar on the beach that sold snacks and drinks made from fresh coconuts. The barman used a machete to lop the top of each coconut off, then he simply tossed in a straw. They had one each.

She ate ravenously and he drank to keep her company. The barman didn't charge because he said just having the 'pretty lady' sit at his bar would attract business. She knew Stefan would have bristled at that, but Damon thought it was amusing.

She looked at him perched on his bar stool, supping from his coconut husk. She couldn't help but laugh.

"What's so funny?" He asked.

"You," she lowered her voice, "the evil vampire. Drinking out of that ridiculous looking coconut." She chuckled.

He narrowed his eyes and said with mock-menace. "You know what, you aren't the only one who needs to eat." She grinned. But suddenly her grin fell away and her mood appeared to change. He asked her what was wrong.

"Nothing."

"Liar. You develop a twitch on the left side of your face when you are lying."

"I do?.."

"What is it?" He pressed.

"Well, I was just wondering what you _have_ been eating here." She said finally.

"Food." He answered. She sighed.

"You know what I mean."

"I hunt, at night. When you sleep."

She lowered her voice. "What do you hunt?" She asked with genuine curiosity. "Where do you go?"

"You really want to know this stuff?"

"Yes." She said, casting her eyes towards the barman who was busy clearing tables and out of earshot. "I want to know what you hunt and how often? All of it."

"I suppose there are some things I am uncomfortable with you knowing." He said seriously. She looked at him sympathetically.

"I get that, but see it from my point of view. I want to understand you. All of you I mean, not just the bits you want me to see. I need to if we are going to share a life together." She paused and let that sink in. "Do you not want to tell me because you think I will think less of you if I know?"

She must have touched a raw nerve because his jaw grew tight.

"It's just not something you need to know." He said. She squeezed his hand.

"I know what you are, Damon. I have no illusions about that. Don't you think I am reminded every time I touch you, or when I lay my head on your chest and hear no heartbeat?"

"It's not the same." He argued. "Being cool to the touch is not the same as what you are talking about."

"You mean the blood, or the killing?" She asked him pointedly. He looked at her, but said nothing.

He pulled away and got up to leave, sending vibrations through his bar stool. She jumped down quickly and followed. They walked together in silence down the beach, she tried to take his hand, but he let hers drop.

"Damon, please. Will you explain it to me? I want to know." He stopped and turned to her.

"Imagine if every bit of your body was designed to make you a better predator, the perfect hunter. Speed, agility, strength. The ability to get into the dreams of your prey, manipulate their moods, hypnotize them with your body, your eyes, your scent. I am all those things. You may want me to be human, Elena, but I am a not. You don't know what I am capable of."

She nodded slowly. "I think I do."

"No, you don't. You can't. I live my life like a coiled spring. Like a shark without teeth. I can never be free to fulfill my potential, be all I can be." He turned and kept on walking, but she doggedly kept pace.

"So you feel frustrated." She said, trying to unpick what he had told her. He nodded. "Because, what you want to be is - a killer?" She said slowly. He looked her in the eyes and nodded again. "And you're good at it." She finished for him. He nodded again, after a while. Her brow furrowed.

"I see." She said, grew quiet for a moment.

He sat down suddenly and threw his arms around his knees, annoyed that she would not let this go. She joined him on the sand.

"The thought of it... excites me." He said. He felt strangely conflicted, like it felt right to tell her and that she needed to know, but he hated reaching into these dark places inside of him. It left him full of turmoil.

"I get it, Damon."

"Do you?" He said doubtfully.

"I think so." She looked out to the sea. "I don't have to like it though." He nodded sourly. She took a breath and when she spoke again there was commitment in her voice, as if she had thought about her next words a lot. "You know, I used to hate Katherine for what she did to you and Stefan. She made you killers, but you know what, I don't hate her any more."

"You don't?" He said, surprised. Personally he was still as mad as hell at Katherine. It burned at him just to think of her.

"No. I know I should be furious, but I'm not. I just feel sorry for her, because she failed. She couldn't change who you really are." She took a handful of sand and let it drift through her fingers. "You think that I am scared to know that you want to kill and that you feel frustrated that you can't live that way, fulfilling what you see as your 'full potential'." She turned to look at him and took his face in her hands. "But that's not true. Those instincts, that urge to kill is not what makes you who you are." He listened carefully. "The strength it takes _not_ to kill does. The vampire doesn't control you, you control the vampire. Your power, vitality, passion for life, everything you can be, that is all _you_. And you know what, the vampire part of you doesn't scare me anywhere near as much as you do when you are afraid, threatened or worried. The vampire is just instinct, but you are the soul, the brain, the heart that drives it. _That_ is the real Damon, the one I fell in love with. The one I hope will make the right decisions because he can, not the wrong ones because it's easier. So if you want to talk about potential, I guess that's the potential I see in you." She dropped her hands and returned to playing with the sand.

He wanted so hard to believe what she said was true, but he felt the truth was far less clear-cut. His eyes searched her profile. He could hear that her pulse was elevated. Reading her body that way was further proof to him, if any were needed, that the vampire part of him was inextricably linked to who he was. After all, he had lived far longer this way than he had as a human.

"Besides, if Katherine hadn't turned you both," she continued, "I never would have met you. She saved your life when it mattered." She added. "She didn't have to do that. If her love for you is what made her do that, then I am grateful she loves you. And if your love for her is what brought you to Mystic, then I have to be happy for that too."

He marvelled at her forgiving nature. Perhaps she was a fool for being that way, but he was endlessly grateful for it nonetheless.

"What do you eat on the island?" She asked again. He rolled his eyes.

"You never give up do you?" She shook her head.

"I never give up on the things that matter." She said. She looked deep into his eyes and he knew that comment was not as flippant as it pretended to be.

"Deer." He replied. "They have deer in the north of the island, near the forest you and I walked through."

"Deer?"

He nodded once. She smiled broadly.

"What?" He said.

"That is awfully close to a 'bunny-eating diet'."

He snorted. "Hmm, well, needs must."

"Do they?" She asked, curious again. "You're assuming I know this but I don't. How often must you take blood?" He wondered how Stefan had kept this information from her. His brother was smarter than he had given him credit for.

"I try to eat every two or three days. But since I have been here, every day."

"Why?" He stood up. "Damon, what is it?"

"I wanted my strength." He said finally, turning away. She smiled shyly.

"Did you want your strength... because of me?" She guessed. He began walking away. She'd never seen him embarrassed before and she found it completely endearing. By the time she found her feet he had walked fifty yards away from her. A shiver of lust passed through her knowing he wanted to be strong for her. It certainly explained his stamina.

"Damon...?" She began, a thousand questions in her voice as she ran to catch him up.

"Oh no. This conversation is well and truly over." He said. She got to his side and slipped her hand in his and this time he let her.

* * *

><p>It was dark inside the club. When her eyes adjusted to the light she realized that every eye was upon her. She felt relieved that his hand was on the small of her back, gently guiding her forwards. She felt comforted by his self-assurance and pride in her.<p>

"Damon," she whispered, "why are they staring at us?"

"Not us - you. Because you look so beautiful. They think you are someone famous." She blushed as pink as her dress. They were shown to a table and he pulled the chair out for her himself.

It was only when she sat down that the room returned to normal. The band on stage were already performing. They had a female singer and she now began a blues song that had Elena captivated. The woman sang with her eyes closed, as if to better channel the sound of her own broken heart. When the song ended, Elena had tears in her eyes. She looked at Damon. He wasn't looking at the stage, but instead was watching her own reaction closely. There was champagne on their table that she hadn't even noticed him even ordering.

"That was beautiful." She said, "But so sad." The singer was saying to the crowd that the band were taking a break now, but she'd be right back. And then to Elena's surprise she made a beeline for their table.

"Well, Damon. Who is this beautiful young woman who stole the attention of my audience?" The singer said somewhat theatrically.

"Daphne," Damon said in a weary voice "this is Elena Gilbert. My fiancé." The singer raised an eyebrow, but quickly tried to hide her surprise. "Elena, this is Daphne du Mellior, an old friend." He said, sounding like he meant quite the opposite.

"Well, it's an honor to meet the woman who has _finally_ made a man out of Damon Salvatore." She said and limply put out her hand. Elena shook it and realized it was ice cold; suddenly everything fell into place. Daphne was a vampire.

"How long have you two known each other?" She asked, the meaning of her words not lost on either of them. Her brain was whirring with jealousy.

"A while." Said Daphne non-committally. There was an uncomfortable silence, then Daphne leaned down and picked up Damon's glass of champagne.

"You don't mind do you, darling? You remember that champagne does wonders for my vocal chords." She took a sip.

"Would it matter what I think?" Damon said ungraciously. Daphne ignored him and turned to Elena.

"Well, it's been just lovely to make your acquaintance dear." She patted Elena's hand, leaving her to feel about as patronized as it was possible to feel. Hot, angry tears sprang to her eyes and she had a lump in her throat, but she bit them back. Daphne cast her eyes over her, head to foot. "I can see what he sees in you." She said. Elena looked at Damon, expecting some comment in her defense, but received none. "I must be getting back. My audience grow restless." Daphne began to stroll back to the stage, swaying her hips. Suddenly Elena got to her feet and ran after her.

"Daphne, was that song you sang a moment ago about Damon?" She asked, her hand on her arm. The vampire tossed her head back and laughed heartily. "Oh darling, you have no idea." She picked up one of Elena's hands and pressed it between both of her palms. "They _all_ are." She gave the younger woman a bitter-sweet smile. She dropped Elena's hand and walked back to the stage. The band immediately struck up another sad tune, but Elena couldn't bear to hear it, and reeling she stumbled past the busy waiters and ran outside.

She threw her back against the wall where no-one could see her and took deep, long breaths, determined not to cry.

After a moment or two Damon walked slowly around the corner towards her. She faced him square on, her hands balled into fists, her anger rising.

"Did you bring me here just to humiliate me? Is that what this was about? Dress me up like a show pony," she indicated the dress that now she wanted to rip off and throw in the dirt, "and parade me in front of your ex-girlfriend. Or whatever the hell she is!"

"I didn't even know she was here on the island." He said.

"But you knew she performed here?"

"Yes, she mentioned it once."

"And you have been here before, haven't you? With her?"

"No." He shook his head and she struck out at him.

"You liar!" She yelled. "Oh God. Little Eden. That's how you knew how to find it!" She swung around and retched. He captured her wrists and pulled her close into his chest.

"No. I've never been to this island before, I swear it." He looked into her eyes but she yanked her hands out of his grip. He took a step towards her, but she put out the flat of her hand to stop him.

"It's true that I knew about this island because she had once told me about it. But I never lied to you."

"I don't believe you!" She stumbled away. She realized her heels were slowing her down, so she stopped and pulled them off roughly. She was tempted to toss them into the brush, but she just couldn't make herself do it. At that moment her phone rang. She flung open her purse with the sole intention of chucking that away too, when she saw that the caller display said 'Caroline', and noted six missed calls and ten unanswered text messages.

"Elena!" Damon called after her. With irritation she decided to answer the call rather than speak to him.

"Caroline?"

"Are you okay? I've been trying to call you all day." Her friend said, noting the tone in Elena's voice.

"I'm fine." Elena snapped. "What's wrong?"

Damon caught her up, but she kept her back turned on him.

"Nothing..." Caroline stammered, "I just wanted to see if you were alright. We hadn't heard from you in over a week. Is Damon treating you okay?" Elena snorted.

"Damon's Damon." She muttered. He frowned at that.

"Sure," Caroline smiled. "I hear ya, sista. Listen, if you are having fun, why don't you stay a little longer? We've got the boarding house under control. And Jeremy's fine." There was an edge to her voice, which if Elena hadn't been so mad she would have picked up on.

"No, we are coming home tomorrow."

"Really?" Caroline sounded panicked. "Why?"

"Because we want to... Actually you are right. I have no idea why. I will see you in two weeks." She hung up and tossed the phone back into her bag.

"You don't want to go home?" He said feeling forlorn, and she shook her head, her calmness returning.

"No." She said firmly. "I think we need more time to talk."


	8. Hypnotic

**Slash fans - brace! brace!**

**Non-slash fans - either be open minded, or skip.**

**Adult content.**

**You have been warned.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8: Hypnotic<strong>

**PRESENT DAY**

"Jeremy wake up!"

"Wha?... What is it? Is the house on fire?"

"No, you idiot."

"Hey, there is no need to be rude." Jer complained, wiping the sleep from his eyes and sitting up.

Anna was in a mood, he could tell from the way her arms were folded across her chest and the set to her jaw. She was sat on one side of his bed and Vicki on the other, also scowling.

He wondered when Bonnie had left. She was supposed to be the only person he was sharing his bed with, but somehow this kept happening. He'd wake up to find her gone, left only with his duo of ghosts for company.

The novelty of having all three women he had loved in his life at once, had quickly worn off when it became obvious that one couldn't even see the others and the two that _could_ see each other, didn't exactly like each other. They bickered constantly.

"What time is it? Where's Bonnie?" Jer asked blearily.

"Three a.m.. The witch left hours ago." Anna said.

"Ugh!" Jeremy fell back into the pillows and pulled one over his head. "Why have you two woken me up? Let me sleep."

"Sleep? _Hah_!" Vicki exclaimed violently.

"What? What do you mean 'hah'?" He put the pillow under his head, knowing from bitter experience that they were going to have a conversation with him whether he liked it or not.

"I mean sleeping doesn't seem to come into it much. You are too busy moaning and groaning." Anna said, making a face. Vicki interceded with an impression of him.

"_Ooh yeah, that's the spot. Don't stop. Mmmmm!" _She rolled her eyes, "It's bad enough we have to watch you with the _witch_, but do we have to listen to your perverted dreams too?"

"Yeah, what is up with that?" Anna agreed. They both scowled at him.

"What exactly are you crazy women _talking_ about? Jeez. Can you not just let me go back to sleep!" He tried to close his eyes and fake it, hoping they would go away.

"If only you would say _that_ to Stefan Salvatore, then maybe we would all get some peace." Jeremy's eyes shot open. He leaned up on his elbows and stared hard at Vicki. His cheeks burned with a deep, fiery blush. He hoped it was too dark for her to see. He wondered exactly which vampire traits she had carried over into death.

"Why do you say that?" He asked seriously, suddenly all too awake.

"Because for the last three nights, all you've done is moan about him in your sleep."

"And that is _not_ okay with us." Anna added. "Not one bit."

"Don't be ridiculous. I don't dream about Stefan." Neither of them was buying the lie.

"Oh yeah? Explain that then!" Vicki said, pointing indiscreetly to his crotch. Jeremy threw a pillow over the offending area.

"Jesus, Vicki! Will you not?" He thought it was impossible to blush worse than he had been before, but apparently not.

"Sweetheart, if _I _had given you that, we would not be having this conversation right now. But alas, we are, because apparently all you can fantasize about is Stefan bloody Salvatore!"

His shade of crimson, deepened, which was not missed by either girl. Anna softened her voice a little.

"What's going on, Jer? Do you like him or something?"

"No! Well, yes. But not like that!"

"Well, you sure have us fooled." Vicki said sniffily.

"Jer, you have to admit, it _is_ pretty weird. If it was one dream, you know - hey, it's a kinky dream." Anna shrugged, "But three nights in a row? And _all_ night. C'mon. What are we supposed to think?"

Jeremy threw back his bedcovers making Vicki scramble to get out of his way. He violently pulled his jeans on and threw on a t-shirt.

"Hey, where are you going?" Anna said.

"To have it out with him."

"I don't think that's such a great idea." Vicki said. "This could be his plan to escape."

"How exactly? Look I don't care what you two hear, but I don't want Bonnie knowing any of this shit. If he's in my head, I gotta get him out. Promise me you'll leave me alone so I can sort this out."

"You know we can't control it like that." Anna sighed.

"Well, try!" He said, slamming the door after him. The two women exchanged glances, before disappearing into thin air.

* * *

><p>"Hi, Jer." Alaric said opening the boarding house door with a surprised look on his face. "What are you doing here? It's not your shift until this afternoon. It's not even dawn."<p>

"I want to speak to him."

"What's the big rush?" Alaric stifled a yawn.

"I just need to see him, Alaric. Can you give us some privacy?" His temporary guardian nodded, confusion on his face.

"Er, okay. I guess I'll take off. Just be careful, okay?"

"Yeah. I'll take it from here." Jer shoved past him, grabbed a vervain dart off the mantelpiece, shoved it in his back pocket and stormed up the stairs.

Alaric shook his head; whatever happened to his quiet life?

* * *

><p>"What did you do to me?" Jer demanded, bursting into the room. Stefan turned to face him, tugging at his chains, his green eyes like sparkling emeralds in the darkness.<p>

"Good morning, Jeremy. It is very early. I didn't think I would have the pleasure of your company until later?"

"Cut the crap Stefan. You know why I am here."

"I'm afraid I don't. You will have to enlighten me." The vampire said coolly, failing to acknowledge Jeremy's obvious agitation. The younger man walked a bit closer to the vampire, but stayed out of reach. He fiddled the vervain stuffed wrist band Bonnie had given him.

"You know what I'm talking about," Jer insisted, then hissed under his breath "the _dreams_."

"I'm sorry," the vampire shrugged, "I am none the wiser."

Jer sighed. "Stop playing games, Stefan. You know what I am talking about. You do it on purpose."

"Do what exactly? What is it I am being accused of doing?"

"You're in my head somehow. You're - you're in my dreams!" He burst out.

"I am? How delightful." Stefan gave him a wry smile.

"Damn it, cut it out!" Jer sighed with irritation. He pushed his hand through his hair, walked over to a desk lamp and put it on.

"Oh no, must you?" Stefan protested, "I like it so much better being here with you in the dark."

"Arrrgh! Stop saying stuff like that. That's exactly what I mean!" Jeremy said exasperatedly.

"Like what?" Stefan enquired innocently.

"You _know_ like what. Like you are... I dunno, flirting or something." The words choked in his throat. A low chuckle came from Stefan, but on seeing the boy's distressed face he apologized.

"I'm sorry, Jeremy, I didn't know it made you uncomfortable." For the first time since he entered the room, Stefan dropped the flirtatious tone from his voice. He sounded sincere. "Please, tell me about these dreams. What happens in them?"

Jeremy shoved his hands in his pockets and turned away.

"Nothing."

Stefan's features softened. "Tell me. I promise I won't judge you. I will only listen." He said almost demurely. "Please?" There was a long pause whilst the boy thought it over.

"Stuff. Sex stuff, I guess." Jeremy eventually mumbled. He sat down briefly, then immediately got up again and began to pace.

"Between you and _me_?" Stefan asked. Jeremy gave him a single curt nod and then continued to wear a path into the carpet. "I see." Stefan finished.

"Are you doing it? Are you putting the dreams there, somehow?" Jer asked him, suddenly pausing to look the vampire in the eyes; trying to detect the truth, even though he knew vampires could hide their emotions.

"You are covered in vervain, Jeremy. How could I do that?" Stefan said, the low light bringing his strong, handsome features into sharp profile. Stefan lowered his voice. "Come closer."

"I'm fine here." Jer said, his hands anxiously balling into fists inside his pockets. His heart was pounding so loudly he was surprised the vampire didn't remark upon it.

"Please, Jeremy. I won't bite. You have my word."

"And what exactly is your word worth?"

"I am asking you to put some trust in me. _Please_."

Jer looked at Stefan from across the room. Dressed in a simple purple shirt and black jeans he looked so much like the friend he once knew - the friend who had loved his sister and cared about him too.

He sighed. He had come here to talk, so that was what he supposed he must do. But he wasn't an idiot. "I'm not afraid to use this." He said, pulling the vervain dart from out of his back pocket and showing it to the vampire. He put it back where it had come from.

"Nor should you be." Stefan said. "But thank you, Jeremy, for choosing to trust me." Jer looked down into the vampire's eyes and his stomach lurched nervously. He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Jeremy, being around a vampire, can sometimes trigger emotions and feelings that are, well let's say, unexpected." Jer remained quiet, but frowned. "Sometimes humans can experience, well, a certain attraction to vampires. It is a tool. It makes us effective at what we do."

"You mean as killers?"

"Yes."

Jeremy shuddered. "You mean, you are drawing me in, like I'm your prey?"

"In the most basic sense, yes. But it isn't always a means to _that_ particular end. Sometimes, it can just be pleasurable. For both parties. Sometimes, it is just is a means to explore your desires, however deep they are buried." There was a rattle of chains as Stefan moved his hand and placed it lightly on Jeremy's knee. The boy flinched, but did not pull away. His breathing became shallow and his heart pumped erratically.

"But Jeremy, that reaction can only be triggered if there already is a connection, just like the one between us. And there _is_ a connection between us, isn't there?" Stefan cast his eyes up from under long eyelashes to meet the boy's. The question in his voice didn't pass unnoticed. Jer wanted to look away, but couldn't bring himself to.

Eventually he tore his eyes from Stefan's face. "I am not sure what _you_ mean by 'connection', but we definitely don't have one." He said reaching down and removing Stefan's hand from his leg, "And to be honest, you are kinda freaking me out right now. I'm sorry if I did or said anything that made you think otherwise. But please Stefan, I am begging you, stay out of my head." He tried to stand up, but Stefan gave him a small smile and placed his hand on his knee again. The boy sat back down suddenly, as though the strength had left him.

"Jeremy." The vampire said. The boy watched him warily. "Please stay."

Stefan's voice became low and syrupy. Jer felt his eyes drawn back to his face. All he could hear was the drumming of his own heartbeat and the sound of Stefan's voice, taking him deeper and deeper into a place where he felt safe, warm and loved. He was transfixed by the intense, shimmering, green eyes.

"You are experiencing things you never knew you wanted before." Stefan continued as his eyes scanned the boy's. He could sense the fear within him, "It is okay to have desires, Jeremy. Let yourself know that. Believe it." The boy nodded slowly, his fear dissipating. "It is okay to want what you have not had. Let it rise up in you until you burn with it. Until you hunger for nothing else. For no-_one_ else... You want me, don't you?" Stefan watched the boy's face carefully.

"I think I do." Jeremy said hesitantly. He cast his eyes down from Stefan's liquid, emerald eyes, to his almost perfect lips. This close, he could almost taste the vampire's scent. He had an earthy, musky smell that had the smallest hint of something sweet, like honey. It was masculine and just a little wild. It seemed to unlock something in Jeremy.

"I'm glad you understand, because I want you to know that you can act on those desires. It is okay. And I won't tell anyone. It will be our secret, Jeremy."

"Our secret..." Jeremy answered dreamily, feeling the irresistible draw of the vampire's lips. He licked his own and leaned forward a little, just enough to breathe in the vampire's scent a little better. Stefan's hand stroked his leg, his eyes never leaving Jeremy's face. A jolt of lust passed through Jer's body as Stefan's hand moved north. He felt himself twitch against his jeans.

"You want me, don't you Jeremy?" Stefan asked, in a low, unhurried tone. Jeremy nodded slowly, blinking heavily. "I think you want to do to me what you did in those dreams, don't you?" Stefan continued. The boy nodded again, the vampire's perfect face suddenly seemed irresistible to him. "If you want me, why don't you kiss me?" Stefan suggested and in a flash Jeremy's lips were on his, his tongue probing to gain access. He crawled onto the bed and straddled the vampire quickly, his biceps straining under his weight.

Stefan pulled hard against his chains. He ran his fingers through the boys hair and down his back. His lips were assaulted by the boy's in a bruising kiss, but he liked the way it felt when Jeremy slid his tongue into his mouth and explored every crevice eagerly.

He could feel the boy shudder, his whole body taut with sexual energy. Jer was pressing his erection hard against Stefan's pelvis, so Stefan pulled him as close as the chains allowed, until the boy's arms gave out and he fell entirely against him. The both laughed a little nervously. Jeremy drew back for a moment to catch his breath. He looked at the vampire as though he was a cool drink of water in the middle of a drought.

"Oh God, I'm sorry. Is this okay? Am _I_ okay?" He said, slightly panicked. Stefan brushed aside a lock of his hair.

"I told you already, anything you want is fine with me. It's all fine. You are perfect." He smiled and Jeremy leaned in and gave him a more gentle kiss this time, but it quickly grew in intensity until he was moaning into his mouth and grinding into him once more. Stefan ran his hands down to the boys behind, gripped him tightly, making Jer break the kiss.

"What's wrong?" Stefan asked.

"Nothing." Jeremy said firmly, leaning back and taking off his shirt, tossing it aside and enjoying Stefan's eyes lingering over his defined physique. He rapidly began flipping open the buttons of the vampire's shirt. He pushed it open and began kissing down his cool body, his lips tracing the contours of his defined torso, noting his delicate skin was the color of milk.

"Oh..." breathed Stefan, his body rippling under the boys searching, probing kisses. He let his arms stretch back loosely above his head, the chains clanking as he did so.

Jeremy slipped his hand between Stefan's legs and squeezed him through his jeans. Stefan groaned. The boy flicked open his flies and slipped his fingers inside the fabric of his shorts. The vampire immediately stiffened in his grasp. Jer withdrew his hand, licked his thumb, then drew it around the most sensitive part, making Stefan shiver.

"Are you sure you haven't done this before?" He said, a smile playing on his lips. Jer yanked his jeans down as far as the chains allowed. He gave the vampire a mischievous glance before he moved down the bed, took his cock into his mouth and began to suck. He was tentative at first, but grew bolder with each movement up and down the shaft, making Stefan arch his back as he pulled at his chains.

Jer pushed Stefan's legs as wide as he could and gripped the outside of his thighs hard, running his mouth over every sensitive part of him, until the vampire was practically begging him to fuck him.

"I want you inside of me." Stefan pleaded breathlessly.

Jer jumped down off the bed and quickly ditched his own jeans. He crawled back up to the chained vampire and moved over him slowly. When he reached his lips, he pulled him in to a deep and erotic kiss.

It was not going to be easy, but they would find a way.

* * *

><p>Back at the Gilbert house, Alaric tugged off his shirt and sat down on the bed to remove his socks. As soon as he sat down he realized what he had done. His head and shoulders slumped forward and he muttered a curse under his breath, "Fuck."<p>

His student papers! He had totally forgotten to pick them up when he left the boarding house. He had been marking them through his vampire-sitting shift and as they had to be handed back tomorrow in his afternoon class, so he couldn't just leave them there.

If he didn't get them now, he would have no time to sleep before he had to go to work in the afternoon.

He cursed again, got up again slowly and put his shirt back on.

* * *

><p>Jeremy was gripping Stefan with all his worth. His hands were leaving red marks on the vampire's pale skin as he pushed deeper and deeper inside him.<p>

Stefan pushed back. Jer pulled his hand from under the vampire's knee and took hold of his cock instead, tugging him in time to his own thrusts.

It was just as Stefan began to lose control that Jeremy started shrieking.

"_Jesus get out of here! Oh my God. Oh my God!"_ He scrambled to pull out of Stefan and leapt out of the bed. Stefan immediately looked around to see if someone had burst in on them, but no-one was there.

"What's going on?" He said almost angrily, after all, he had been literally about to come and now he was going to be left with a nasty case of blue-balls. He pulled at his chains so he could sit up and watch as Jeremy paced the room with his head in his hands - his erection totally gone.

"_Stop shrieking, stop shouting at me!_" Jeremy was yelling. "I can't think!"

Stefan frowned. Hmm, interesting - when Klaus had shown him how to compel someone who had vervain on them, it had never had this effect before. Was the boy having some sort of psychotic episode? He felt it best if he said nothing and watched to see what happened.

"Please just leave me alone! Why did you have to come here now? I was! I did! I thought you were gone. Vicki just calm down. Please stop shouting. Anna, I don't know -_ I just do!_" Jer added.

Stefan frowned. Vicki and Anna? He looked around the room, concentrated all his senses, but he could neither see nor feel anything. Jeremy continued pacing like a mad man.

"Jeremy, what is it? What's wrong?" He said eventually.

"Tell them to leave me alone. Please! They won't stop shouting." He turned back to face the empty room and shouted at it. "_It's up to me how I live my life!_" He threw himself back on the bed next to Stefan.

"Who is shouting? Who are you talking to?" The vampire asked, totally confused. "Jeremy, tell me. Who is in this room with us?" He turned to face him. The boy had covered his ears with his hands, so he gently took his hands away, holding his wrists and looking at him intently.

If only he had concentrated less on Jeremy, then he may have heard Alaric arriving. But he didn't.

He held Jeremy's wrists as the boy started shrieking at the empty room again.

"_I don't want you here! Why can't you just leave me alone? I never asked for any of this. You are ruining my life!"_ He bellowed to the mysterious invisible women - tears streaming down his face. Stefan almost shook him now, whilst trying to look into his eyes.

"What is it?" He said with urgency, "What is going on?"

He was so concerned with the boy's obvious distress, that he failed to hear Alaric running up the stairs three at a time.

So when the teacher burst into the room, vervain dart in hand, and was confronted by a semi-naked Stefan gripping a fully-naked and hysterical Jeremy by the wrists - he had to admit, it didn't look good.


	9. Simple

**For those that skipped the last chapter what you need to know is that Vicki and Anna materialized in Stefan's bedroom whilst Stefan and Jeremy were having sex, causing Jeremy to freak out. The commotion caused Alaric to come to his rescue, and walk in on them both. **

**It is not entirely clear whether Jeremy acted under his own free will, or whether Stefan manipulated him into having sex. If it was the latter, then Stefan was able to somehow control Jeremy using a technique Klaus taught him, despite the boy's use of vervain. Making him very dangerous indeed.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 9: Simple<strong>

**DAY 9 OF THE HOLIDAY**

Sat on the beach on Damon's shirt, Elena looked out through puffy eyes at the night sky. She had her new shoes held loosely in her hand and the sand slipped between her toes. Damon's bare chest made him look ghostly in the moonlight. He watched her; his face expressionless to many, but she could detect the worry in his gaze.

Jealousy had never been a problem before, she wasn't about to let it become one now.

"If you tell me everything," she said, "I won't keep feeling like the rug has been pulled out from under me."

"Okay. I get that. But you can't expect me to relay over a century's worth of my history to you in one sitting." He sat down next to her and put his arm around her. She moved in closer, her anger dissolving as quickly as it had come.

"I know." Placing her cheek against his cool shoulder. "Just start with Daphne." He looked up at the canopy of stars above them, so bright in the tropical sky. He wondered what magic this island held that meant he did not mind giving her the explanations she demanded of him.

"We met in Paris." He began. "It was the twenties, nineteen twenty-two or three, I think. I don't exactly remember. But I do remember that she quite took my breath away with her voice. Just like she did your's tonight."

She turned to look at him.

"Did you love her?"

"No, I never loved her. She said she loved me though." He sighed as if that central conundrum had been at the root of all their problems. "She was totally crazy, Elena. We tore shreds off each other more than we loved one another."

"When you broke up, you hurt her?"

He nodded. But she didn't need him to tell her that, Daphne's own words had told her as much.

"You must have some good times though?" She said reasonably.

"For a while, I suppose. She was always the life and soul of every party. Her voice made her the toast of the Parisian clubs and we got invited to the best homes because of it. Everyone wanted her. It was a decadent time and the partying never stopped. She loved to be the center of attention."

"You resented her?" Elena said and he looked down into her eyes. She understood him better than he understood himself sometimes.

"I guess. In any case, our relationship was what you would call tempestuous. Fantastic one minute, then hurling crockery at each other the next. Eventually I got bored of the hysterics. I couldn't take the mood swings any more. She was the neediest person I had ever met."

"That may be so, but she must have loved you very much if that song was anything to go by."

He shook his head. "Don't believe everything she says. I wasn't the first man who hurt her and I doubt I'll be the last."

Elena had her own thoughts about that, but she let his comment pass. "How did it end?" She asked.

"Badly. Like most relationships I suppose."

"Tell me?" She asked and he sighed. He hated raking over old wounds.

"She told me she was pregnant."

She raised her eyebrows in shock. "She was _human_ when you knew her?" He nodded. "Okay...I was _not_ expecting that."

"You want the story, or not?"

"Sorry."

"The first time I heard her sing, I decided to follow her home." He shifted uncomfortably. "She intrigued me I guess. It didn't exactly go as planned, and she quickly found out what I was. I should have killed her, but I was a fool and I was drawn to her. We began to see each other, but she constantly begged me to turn her."

"You wouldn't?"

He shook his head. "Trust me, the world doesn't need a vampire like her. Too bad it's got one now. Anyway, when I refused, she went out and found a way to 'get even'. I guess you could say it backfired."

"She got pregnant." Elena finished for him. He nodded.

"We had an argument. She went out and got rid of the baby. A backstreet butcher who messed her up badly." He said darkly, his anger apparently still as raw as the day it happened. Damon may not have loved Daphne, but he would not have wished that upon her. Elena dreaded to think what had happened to the abortionist. "That leach told her she would never be able to have kids." He spat out. "I suppose after that she felt there really wasn't a reason not to get what she wanted, so she went out and _really_ got her own back. She found someone who would do what I wouldn't. She became a vampire. But she wasn't like any vampire I had ever met. She was so damaged. A total mess. I couldn't cope with it and so I left her."

Elena went quiet. There was so much here for her to digest. Suddenly she wanted to just close her eyes and go to sleep and let it all drift away.

"I was a different person then." He said. "Different priorities. I may not have loved her, but I shouldn't have left her. Not at that time anyway." He felt guilty and that was something he didn't allow himself to do all that often.

"I don't think I'm the one you should be saying that to." She said gently.

He pulled her close and kissed the top of the head.

"Maybe." Was all he said in response. "Are you still angry at me?" He asked suddenly and she shook her head against his shoulder.

"You know I can never stay angry at you. Besides, there is no reason to be. Daphne just seemed so beautiful and talented. I guess I just thought, how can I compete with that?"

"Her looks are nothing compared to you." He said. "And as for talented? Yes, maybe. But she wrecked her own career by becoming a vampire. She is a lesson to us all about how it's not always good to get exactly what you want. I mean think about it, how on earth would she explain how she never ages?"

"Botox?" Elena suggested, giving him a cheeky smile, he looked at her and slowly smiled back.

"Are you ready to go to bed now? Because I sure am." He asked and she nodded. "Come on, then." He got to his feet slowly like a human, and with both hands he pulled her up.

* * *

><p>It rained overnight and in the morning, the sun seemed hotter than ever. Damon awoke to find Elena stood by his dresser looking at her vervain necklace thoughtfully and hesitating to put it on. Her brow was furrowed.<p>

"Want me to do it up for you?" He asked.

She turned to face him. "Damon, does it bother you that I still wear this?" It was his turn to frown.

"No. Should it?" She colored a little. "You mean because Stefan gave it to you, don't you?" She met his eyes with embarrassment. "Elena, please come and sit down." They sat together on the edge of the bed. "You've been thinking about him, haven't you?"

She looked at him. "A little I guess."

"Look, we haven't really talked about it have we? I suppose now is as good as time as any. But let's do it over coffee. Does that sound alright?"

She nodded.

They walked hand in hand to the hotel bar and he bought them both cappuccinos. They went and sat on the patio away from the other guests, on a secluded bench shaded by exotic plants.

"So," he began after a moment or two of silence. "Stefan."

She looked at her feet. Her coffee cooling on the bench beside her. "Well, here's what I think," he continued, "and stop me if I am wrong. I think you don't know if you want to wear his necklace, not because you think it will upset me, but because it reminds you of how much he loved you. And we both know that he still loves you, whether he's out tearing up the world with Klaus or not. And you love him too. I know that." She gave him an apologetic look.

"I think seeing Daphne last night got you to thinking that you hadn't really broken up with Stefan properly, and that he may always resent you for that, in the way that Daphne resents me." He met her eyes with his cool steady gaze. "Elena, I know you can't stop loving Stefan overnight. And believe it or not, I don't expect or even particularly want you to."

"You don't?"

"No. He may be the most irritating whinger on the planet, but he's still my brother. We've had our differences, but I have to admit that loving you was the most sensible thing he's ever done." He looked up to the sky where the sun was burning away the last of the clouds.

"Look, I can't lie, I'd rather we hadn't both fallen for you. But I hope that the nature of your love for him will change over time." She spontaneously reached out and took his hand. Squeezed it.

"I feel bad. I feel bad we didn't find him first before I allowed myself to act on my feelings for you." She said.

"I know." He nodded. "But life doesn't work like that. It's taken me so long to find you, do you think I am going to waste even a minute of my time getting hung up about that now that I have you? Hell no. Even _my_ life is too short for that."

"But Damon, he won't understand when he comes home, because I can't be with him in - in the way that I was before." She said quietly.

"You mean physically?" He said and she nodded. "You don't want to go back to being with him like that, do you?" He asked. She grew quiet.

"No, but..."

"There's a 'but'?" He said sounding surprised.

"I guess, I guess he knew me." She said.

Damon pulled a face. "Okay, that is not what I expected."

"Oh no! I didn't mean to upset you, I mean being with you is _incredible_ - amazing, it's absolutely-"

"It's clearly not as good as Stefan." He interrupted sharply.

"No! That's not what I meant!" She was feeling trapped and flustered, but it was too late. He was clearly brooding. Hearing that he was second best was not something that he was used to. He got up.

"Where are you going?" She said hurriedly.

"I just need some time on my own." He said striding away from her. She got to her feet and he called back over his shoulder. "On my _own_, Elena."

* * *

><p>When he got back to the hotel it was mid-afternoon. She was sunbathing in their garden listening to her iPod. On seeing who it was she leapt to her feet and put her arms around him.<p>

"Where have you been? You've been gone hours. I was so worried you were angry over that silly thing I said."

He stroked her back and encouraged her to settle back down on the sun-lounger. He sat on the edge of it carefully and rested a hand on her stomach.

"I had something I wanted to do."

"You went to see Daphne, didn't you?" She asked. He nodded. "What happened?"

"She slapped me after throwing a drink in my face, and then she flung her arms around me and began to cry." He shook his head as if all that was everything he had expected.

Elena smiled sadly. "What did you say to her?"

"It doesn't matter. We talked and it's done. Over. It felt good actually." He suddenly looked at Elena and she could see his pale blue eyes flicker with something akin to worry.

"But what worries me more, is what you said about Stefan."

She sighed. "Damon, you are overreacting. I was just trying to say that he was sweet to me." He reached for her hand and held it loosely.

"No, that's not what you were saying. You were saying that you liked the way he made you feel."

"And I _love_ the way _you_ make me feel, so this is crazy."

"What did he do for you, that I don't?" He asked quietly. She sat up and looked at him closely.

"You are seriously wound up about this aren't you?" She said.

"Just answer the question. Please."

She didn't detect posturing machismo, or even standard brotherly rivalry, just genuine curiosity. She sighed.

"This is silly, I can't believe we are even having this conversation."

"Tell me." He begged.

"Okay. If you must know. With you, everything is, I don't know... fireworks, I guess. And sometimes, sometimes it would be nice to, I don't know... be less. Somehow. I don't know." She faded out.

"So you want the sex to be bad?"

"_No_! I knew this was a stupid conversation." She got up to leave, but he caught her hand.

"Please stay. I'm not trying to upset you. I'm trying to understand."

She looked into his eyes and could see his sincerity. Even if she thought this conversation was nuts, he was desperate to have it, so she sat back down again.

Lowering her voice she began again. "Damon, you are completely amazing and what you do to me turns me inside out."

"Get to the 'but'."

"_But_, sometimes I guess I worry what will happen when the fireworks stop. Will you get bored of me? Move on? Look for someone else?"

"No. Never." He said sincerely.

"I can't help thinking that you will though. You and Stefan both have so much experience of women, but I don't know... I guess he just made me feel that despite that, I was enough for him."

"And I don't make you feel that way?" He said crestfallen.

"With you, I'm always worried that I am - I don't know - living up to your expectations, I guess." He looked angry at that and cursed.

He took a breath then caught her face in his hands. "I never wanted you to feel that way, like you weren't enough for me. If I am too eager, it's only because I want to be with you all the time, because I still can't quite believe we are together." She smiled sweetly, he moved his thumb along her cheek. He looked really upset. "But if you want me to slow down, or even to stop..."

"No!" She interrupted him. "No, don't be silly, I love you. I never want you to stop loving me. And I already told you being with you is incredible. Really, it is. But you asked me what was different about, well before," she really couldn't bring herself to say 'Stefan', it felt too much like comparison, "then there's your answer. I guess with him I knew it was okay to be well... you know. Simple."

He kissed her lips quickly and then let her go, looking preoccupied. Eventually he turned to her.

"Where would you like to go tonight?" He asked. She shrugged.

"I don't mind. Just no clubs with singers."

"One hundred-percent agreed."

* * *

><p>In the end, he told her not to get dressed for dinner. Instead he asked her to make herself comfortable and he disappeared for half an hour. When he came back, he brought with him a silver platter. When she took the lid off she laughed. "Where on earth did you get those?" she said, admiring the burger and stealing fries off the plate, wondering how he had managed to source something so humble in this five star resort.<p>

"I persuaded the chef." He said.

"'Persuaded', eh?" She said with an eyebrow raised. He smirked.

"You like?"

She nodded. "Mmm. Delicious."

"Simple." He said. "I thought you'd like that."

After she ate, he told her that as he had found the food, then she had to take the plate back to the kitchen.

"Seriously?" She complained and he nodded. "Ugh." She said and slouched to the door with it in her hand.

She was only gone ten minutes, but when she came back and opened their door, her breath caught. He had covered the room in two dozen candles and outside through the French windows she could see that their garden was a carpet of night-lights, all twinkling like the starry sky above.

"Oh, Damon, it's beautiful." She said. He was lying fully clothed on the bed, and so she crawled in beside him and he pulled her into his arms where they cuddled up.

"Do you remember that day a year or so ago when you and Jenna had a massive fight, and you came round to the boarding house in tears?"

She nodded sadly. Thinking of Jenna still hurt.

"I was at the top of the stairs going to get some blood when you ran into the house. You ran straight into Stefan's arms. You were all teary and snotty and your hair was all a mess-"

"Oh I am so glad you remembered _that_." She laughed.

"I do, because I suddenly entirely forgot what I had been doing and I just stood there, transfixed, looking down at this gorgeous girl, who didn't need make up or fancy clothes, or anything at all really to just be stunningly beautiful. And I couldn't move. I just could _not_ move. I stood there watching you in Stefan's arms telling him how the fight with Jenna had been all your fault, even though it clearly wasn't, and how sorry you were. And I remember thinking that at that moment I would give anything to be right where my brother was. I wanted so much to have you run into my arms like that."

"You wanted me to get snot on your shoulder instead?" She teased.

"Guess so."

"Has anyone told you how completely insane you are?"

"Nobody else is as rude as you are."

She smiled and wriggled deeper into his embrace, thinking how sweet it was that he had told her that. "I am _never_ telling you when I first realized I liked you." She said suddenly.

"Why not?"

"Because your head is big enough already."

He smirked and leaned down to kiss her. She turned onto her back so that her head rested in his lap and she faced up at him. "I love you so much." She said.

"You're not bad I suppose, for a human." He said.

She raised her hand and drew him down to kiss her, letting her lips part and pushing up against him. He responded in kind, but when she grew more passionate, he pulled back.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"No, we aren't going there."

"We aren't?" She pouted. He shook his head. She gave him a look as if to say 'really?' and he responded by running his fingers through her hair.

"No, not tonight."

"Is this about the silly Stefan thing? Damon!" She sighed.

"It's about our lives together." He corrected. "I don't want you ever to think that you aren't enough for me just the way you are. I may want you, and believe me I do, _all_ the time. But it's you I want, not just your body. If I need to show a little restraint once in a while, it won't kill me."

"Might kill me though." She smirked.

"Come and sit next to me." He said and she groaned but she swiveled out of his lap and lay down beside him instead. "I'm fed up with being the one who does all the talking." He complained. "Now it's your turn."

"It is?" She asked. He nodded, scooting down the bed so he was level with her and resting on his arm.

"I want to hear all about you. Start at the beginning," he insisted, "and no skipping stuff."


	10. I Don't Know Who I Am Anymore

**Hello. **

**You have gone really quiet! This is just a reminder that I'd love for you to review and tell me what you think. I've worked especially hard on this chapter and I'd love to know if you enjoy it. If you prefer to contact me on Twitter, go ahead - my profile name is Silverfoxpunk.**

**Although this is not a slash chapter, there is mention of what has gone before. So if this offends, you may want to skip this. I wouldn't advise it though.**

**Other notes: Things are about to get zesty for Caroline and there is some blood sharing.**

* * *

><p><strong>PRESENT DAY<strong>

**Chapter Ten: I Don't Know Who I Am Anymore**

When the shock had passed, Alaric reacted fast. He stabbed Stefan's hip with a massive vervain dart and dragged Jeremy by the arm, naked, out of the room and down the stairs while the vampire screamed and writhed behind them.

He deposited the boy on the couch, ran back up the stairs and tightened Stefan's chains, whilst the vampire cursed, twitched and roared his complaint. Alaric quickly picked up Jer's discarded clothing and ran back down the stairs. He handed the boy his clothes and quietly said, "Get dressed."

Jer did as he was asked, his hands shaking.

"Did he hurt you?" Alaric's face was calm, but his eyes showed turmoil. Jeremy had never seen him so shaken up.

"I'm fine. It's not what you think." He said, grasping for an explanation, but finding none.

Ric ran a hand over his face and chewed his lip. He pointed up the stairs. "This has gone on long enough. He is _dangerous_." He emphasized the last word heavily. Whether it was a warning, a statement or a realization, it was hard to tell. Jer imagined Stefan upstairs, the vervain ripping painfully through his system, trying to listen to every word they both said. He wondered idly whether he were able to pull his jeans up by himself, or whether Alaric had dressed him.

His attention came back to Ric, who had his hands on his hips and was trying to reach him. His voice became different; less a friend, more an authority figure.

"Jer, you don't have to tell me anything. I know some people, have some numbers. I just need to go to the school and I can get them -"

"It's not what you think. I wanted this." He said. "I wanted him." Alaric went quiet. Chewed his lip again. When he spoke, his voice was quiet, but he was the angriest Jeremy had ever seen him.

"You are a minor. A child." He said carefully. "I don't care what you _thought_ you wanted, he had no right." He turned away and paced slowly, running his hand through his hair. "It's almost dawn," he added, "I'm going to call Caroline and we are going to put an end to this." He wagged his finger in Stefan's direction. "He goes. Today."

"No! You can't do that!" Jer got to his feet in protest. "Where would he go? Back to Klaus? Klaus didn't want him - he abused him. He belongs here. With us!"

"Jesus Jer, what did he do to you?" Ric said, confusion in his face. "Look, I am not discussing this. The decision is made." He marched into the kitchen and Jer heard a tap running. There were splashes as if he was washing his face. When the teacher came back, he sat in the chair opposite him looking pensive. He was calmer, as though the shock had worn off allowing his thoughts to properly organize themselves.

"Look Jer, I think I know you pretty well. You are my family now. If Jenna left me anything, it was her love for you and your sister." He looked saddened, as if he had failed horribly at even that. "I just don't want you to get hurt." He said.

"I'm not hurt. I promise you, I'm fine." Ric cast his eyes over him and could see that externally at least, the vampire had not appeared to have left his mark.

"Whatever I walked in on, it did not sound fine to me."

"I was just upset because - because..." Oh God, how to explain this? There was no way around it. "Because Vicki and Anna suddenly appeared." He looked at the teacher, who reacted in horror.

"What?"

Jeremy sighed. This would take some explanation. He started at the beginning.

* * *

><p>Once he had finished speaking, Alaric had called Caroline. He at least saved Jer the humiliation of calling Bonnie too. Caroline arrived make-up less and looking tired, she wore an old sweater and faded sweats. She listened carefully as the teacher relayed the gist of what had happened. He was careful not to say that he had found Jeremy naked, he just said that Stefan had been 'deeply manipulative', and that having him in their care was no longer tenable.<p>

Caroline read between the lines. She looked shocked. Glanced at Jer, trying to decide whether what she was thinking was the truth.

In the end she didn't heed Alaric's warnings and she dashed upstairs, but rather than going into Stefan's room, she went to the attic.

* * *

><p>In the attic, Caroline tossed things noisily aside until she found what she wanted. She tucked it into the waistband of her sweats, shot down the attic stairs and tore into the vampire's room.<p>

Stefan lay practically naked in the centre of the bed, his jeans were around his ankles, his shirt undone and trapped beneath him. His wrists were red and sore from where Alaric had pulled the chains so tight that he could barely lay on the bed with his back straight.

How many times had she fantasized about seeing him naked? Just how many? But not like this. Nothing about this was right.

The scent of Jeremy hit her like a slap. She felt tears salt her eyes, but she shut them down before they could start.

"Well," he said looking at her, "you must forgive my appearance, I appear to be somewhat... indecent." He smiled wryly and she felt anger rise up inside of her like a tsunami.

"Arghhhh!" She yelled, rushing to him and slapping his face hard. Her fists pummeled his chest mercilessly. "You idiot," she screamed, "you fucking idiot!" She yelled again and again as she beat him, her words becoming just indecipherable.

Finally spent, she stepped back and listened to the sound of his cracked ribs mend and watched as the red welts slowly disappeared.

"I take it you are upset about the boy?" Stefan said carefully. She pulled from her waistband the small, silver framed picture she had found in the attic and thrust it into his face.

"Do you know who that is? Do you know her?" She said pointing aggressively at the image.

He examined the photograph with curiosity. His own arm was casually tossed around a pretty brunette with long brown hair, they were both smiling. The man stood on her other side had intense blue eyes that looked straight down the lens. He looked like he would rather be elsewhere.

He shook his head. No, he didn't know who she was.

"She is the love of your fucking life, Stefan. And that 'boy' you just screwed is her brother!"

"Oh." Stefan uttered.

"Damn right, 'oh'." She spat out angrily. "_Goddamn_ it!" She tossed the picture at the wall and it smashed. "Why? Just tell me why?" Her knees buckled and she landed on his bed. "You could have had anyone you wanted, anyone at all. You chose him..." She said, her words fading into nothingness. Her eyes filled again with tears, but she would not give him the satisfaction.

He looked at her with a curious expression on his face.

"You would rather it had been you?" He asked. She looked at his face. Then just as quickly realized that she could no longer bring herself to talk to him in his current undressed state.

With shaking hands she leaned down and carefully helped him into his jeans and roughly buttoned his shirt.

"Thank you." He said softly.

"Christ, it smells of sex in here." She said, not being able to bear another moment of his searching eyes. She jumped up and flung open a window and felt herself retch. A residual human response to her anguish.

"You didn't answer my question, Caroline." He said quietly.

"Me, Alaric, Bonnie. Dammit, anyone but him!" She leaned against the window sill and took deep breaths that she didn't really need.

"No Caroline. I don't think so. I think you wish you had been in his place. Just you."

"You're so fucking arrogant!" Caroline shouted at him, and rushed from the room, slamming the door hard behind her.

* * *

><p>She couldn't face going back downstairs to the 'told you so' look of Alaric, or face Jeremy under any circumstances.<p>

She pushed her way into the first door she found, slammed it closed and slid down it. She let the tears flow.

* * *

><p>In his room, Stefan listened to Caroline cry. He alternated between listening to her and the prolonged discussion between Jeremy and Alaric. Jeremy was telling the teacher how he knew his own mind and the teacher was telling Jeremy that the situation was abuse by any other name.<p>

He thought about the blonde, about how he had moved through her dreams, plying her with fantasies that made her ache for him.

He thought about the picture she had shown him. The pretty smiling brunette in his arms, the man stood next to them both.

He listened to Alaric tell Jeremy that he would call Damon and tell him to bring Elena straight home. He said it was wrong to let them stay on holiday oblivious, when Damon's own brother had brought such trouble into this house, and that Elena had to find out sometime or another.

Stefan felt the chains cut into his wrists and the vervain made him woozy. It felt like it was pushing every bit of blood right out of his system. He shifted his back on the mattress, but failed to bring any comfort.

"Hey!" He called out. "Hey, I need blood!"

Nobody answered. He felt irritation at his confinement.

Where was this so called 'love of his life', if she was not here at his side? Why was she on holiday with this man they said was his brother?

Why did the blonde weep so hard for him? Why did he feel bad for what he had done to her?

His mind began to repeat her name, over and over again like a mantra as the vervain chased around his system.

Caroline.

Caroline.

Car-o-line.

And with that, the fog suddenly cleared.

* * *

><p>"Alaric! Alaric!" Stefan yelled at the top of his lungs. "Alaric, get me out of these fucking chains! <em>Please!<em>" He sounded so needy, so anxious - so desperate to be forgiven.

In her room, Caroline lifted her head. She brushed her running mascara away from her eyes with her sleeve and listened.

"Alaric, please! It's me! I remember everything. Jeremy! Jeremy, it's me, I'm sorry! I'm so sorry. Can you hear me?" Stefan shouted desperately. He fell back and closed his eyes.

Oh God, the mess he was in. Jeremy. Caroline. He wanted to die.

* * *

><p>When Caroline opened his door, she entered the room slowly, slipping through the slightest crack - her face anxious and her hands remaining on the door knob behind her. She leaned back on the door and closed it gently.<p>

When she saw him, filled with pain and remorse, she knew the Stefan she loved had returned to her.

He sat as upright as he could. Begging her forgiveness with his eyes.

"Oh, Caroline! Care, I'm so sorry. For everything."

Her heart flooded with overwhelming pity, she rushed to him and flung her arms around him.

"What have I done? What have I done?" He asked her.

He pressed into her shoulder, riddled with guilt for hurting them all so deeply. It was everything, all that he had done with Klaus as well as the current mess he was in. The killing, the blood, the sex and the violence. The memories rushed into his head with the ferocity of a volcanic eruption.

Caroline held him tight. His face was lost in her sweet smelling hair - his cheek damp with her tears. He wanted to hold her so much, but he could not. As if reading his mind, suddenly she let him go and at vampire speed she ran to each corner of his bed and released his chains.

He fell back onto the mattress, rubbing his wrists as they healed. Then she was in his arms again, crawling into his lap, pulling herself into his body. And suddenly he was kissing everything he could reach.

* * *

><p>If you had asked either of them how it happened, they wouldn't have been able to tell you. They were so flooded with emotion that their movements came without thought.<p>

Caroline pulled her sweater over her head, his hands helping her. Her soft hair fell onto his shoulders as she bowed her head to him. His hands moved on her back pulling her down into a deep kiss. Soft and warm, her tongue slid against his, her hands holding his face.

His hands drifted over her cool, perfect skin, his fingertips unhooked her bra as they reached it. They slipped around her body and squeezed her naked breasts, felt their weight and curve in his hands. She broke the kiss, tipped her head back and moaned, grinding her pelvis down onto him as he rose up against her. He smothered his face in her chest. Let his mouth move across her until it engulfed a nipple. He sucked hard and teased the gathered ridges with his tongue. His fingers found her open mouth as he did so. She sucked on them as she moved.

He groaned against her, his teeth came and he bit sharply down, making her gasp. He drew blood from her breast as she moved against him. He licked it then kissed her, so she tasted her own blood.

His hands caressed her buttocks, he grabbed and tore her sweats apart at the seams. He yanked them off her body, making her thighs tremble with the friction. That drove him wild. Her pale-pink panties went the same way as the sweats. She cried out as he pushed fingers into her. He turned his fingers this way and that and quickly found her g-spot. She gripped his legs with her hands and arched her back, coming quietly, riding his fingers until her climax passed.

When she regained her full senses, she leaned forwards and undid his button fly. She sat up on her knees so he could wriggle beneath her and remove his jeans. She tore at his shirt and the buttons clattered across the wooden floor. He shucked the shirt from his body and flipped her over so she was beneath him. He pushed slowly, teasingly, into her body. She hooked her legs around him as he began to move inside of her.

They found a steady rhythm, until he withdrew. He flipped her leg up so that it rested on his shoulder and pushed deeper inside her. She clawed at his skin and her vampire face came. She dropped her leg and scrambled to maneuver so that she was astride his lap once more. He held her tight against him as he also sat upright and she rocked down onto him. Their speed increased and she leaned into his neck. He leaned against hers too and by unspoken agreement, he bit down hard into her throat and she did the same. They came together.

They fell back on the bed. A tangle of limbs, a mess of bodily fluids.

Her face had changed back to normal, but his was slower to recede. She looked at him, ran a finger over the threaded veins under his eyes.

"This wasn't how I imagined it would be." She said quietly, thinking of all her fantasies.

He crumbled suddenly, feeling her words pierce his heart. He had let them all down terribly, unforgivably.

For the first time in fifty years he burst into tears.

She held him tight and let him cry.

* * *

><p>When he walked into the living room holding Caroline's hand, Alaric took a step back. Jeremy got to his feet. They both looked deeply shocked that Stefan was free.<p>

"Whoa! What the hell, Caroline?" Alaric said.

"It's okay." Stefan held out placating hands. "Please don't worry. I'm myself. I won't hurt you." Alaric looked daggers at Caroline, she in turn looked at her feet.

"I asked Caroline to bring me here, so I could talk to you."

Alaric's breathing was shallow.

"Please Alaric, I want to talk to Jeremy. In private."

"Not a chance." The teacher shook his head.

"What if I volunteered to be chained again?"

"Didn't make a damn bit of difference last time. I stay and hear what you have to say, or it doesn't happen." Stefan looked at Jeremy, met his eyes. The boy was quiet, his cheeks devoid of color.

"I understand. I have given you no reason to trust me. Please, can't we all sit?" Stefan asked. Alaric and Jeremy sat down slowly. Stefan sat next to the boy and Caroline stood behind Stefan, she gave his shoulder a squeeze.

"I'll leave you to it." She left them alone, but he knew she would listen in. How could she not? Her leaving was more just to put the men at ease. She walked back upstairs.

"Jeremy." Stefan began, reaching out to place his hand on the boy's knee.

"Don't touch him Stefan, or I swear to God..." Alaric said, leaning forwards and indicating a stake that had appeared in his hand as if by magic. Stefan dropped his hand quickly. He wasn't looking to make trouble.

He returned his gaze to Jer, the boy's big brown eyes were so reminiscent of his sister, it was hard to remember that technically she was his cousin. Perhaps it was Jer's mannerisms that reminded him of Elena? He winced. That thought increased his sense of wrongdoing tenfold.

"Jeremy. I love you." Stefan began quietly. Alaric shifted in his chair. "But the love we shared tonight was the wrong kind of love." He said stiltedly. He paused. "Do you understand?" The boy said nothing, but his brow remained furrowed. "I ask for your forgiveness, even though I don't deserve it. I manipulated you, toyed with your emotions, your youth; I forced you to be a part of a something you didn't ask to do. I took away your right to choose."

"I knew what was happening to me." Jer insisted, "You may have been able to do those things, but what you said to me was true. They happened because I wanted them to. I'm not a child, Stefan."

"No, you aren't." He agreed, "No more than I am a man. It is a sad truth that my natural inclination is to exploit you for my gain. I'm not proud of that, but it is what being a vampire is." He paused, wondered how to get through to him. Lofty talk of what it meant to be a vampire wasn't gonna do it. He sighed, started again. "Jeremy, you are generous to a fault, kindhearted, smart. I knew you were grieving and feeling disempowered. The worst part of me knew I could use that. Do you understand what I am saying? I took advantage of you." He repeated. Stefan felt the boy's pulse run faster through the seat they shared.

"I know you're sorry. But I'm not." Jeremy said. Alaric looked up, he looked as surprised as Stefan felt.

"Jer -" Alaric interrupted warningly, he had a 'don't say anything you may regret' tone to his voice.

"I mean it." Jeremy said forcefully, aimed at the teacher. He returned his gaze to Stefan. "Sure, at first I didn't want anything to do with you. Thought the whole thing was some sick joke. But then I realized, I'm surrounded by people. People who never stop talking at me, telling me what to do, what to wear, eat, drink, how to act. People who just want something from me. Constantly. But not you. You made me feel, I dunno, in control I guess."

Alaric's eyebrow moved an infinitesimal amount, but Stefan saw it. The teacher was even more tense now than he had been a moment ago, and the vampire wondered if he regretted his insistence on bearing witness to this conversation.

"Jer, I haven't been in my right mind." Stefan told him, "I was playing games. _Silly_ games. I wasn't thinking of you, I was thinking of myself. _My_ pleasure, _my_ escape." He looked down. Felt shame burn right through him. Even now, he could still smell Jeremy on his skin, feel where he had been inside of him.

"It's fine, Stefan. I get it." Jer looked away, his words were strong, but his body was shaking. "You never really wanted me. Don't beat yourself up about it. I really don't care." His lips clamped together.

Stefan wanted to touch him, but he looked to Alaric first, when Alaric didn't react he laid his hand gently on the boy's knee.

"When the blood controls me, I have appetites that have no equal in the human world. I chose you because you were looking for answers, wanting freedom. Because of that I could control your dreams, your fantasies. It's not really a question of being attracted to you. I simply used you. And I'm so sorry for that." He met the boy's eyes.

Jeremy flicked his own eyes away to the corner of the room. Vicki was sat there, watching, listening. He wondered how much she had heard? He briefly wondered where Anna was. He turned back to Stefan.

"Look, it's no big deal." He said, not convincing anyone that he meant that. "Let's just forget any of this happened." Jer got up and walked slowly from the room. He paused only to look down at the ghost who haunted him. Her eyes were filled with tears.

As the door front closed behind Jeremy. Stefan looked at Alaric and the teacher glowered back.

"Thank you. For letting me speak to him. I know you didn't want me to."

"He would only have come back to you to seek answers."

"Perhaps."

"But let me get this straight, if you ever go near him again, so help me God I will finish you."

Stefan nodded. "You don't need to worry. I'm leaving. I won't come back."

"I thought I knew you, Stefan, I realize now I don't know you at all." Alaric uttered.

They stood staring at each other in an uneasy truce.

"He's hurting. He'll need your support." Stefan said nodding towards the door.

"Yes, I realize that. Thanks for making his life just a little bit worse." Alaric said sarcastically. The vampire looked at his feet. "So, where will you go?" The teacher asked, "Assuming I let you walk out of here of course."

"Far away. Indonesia, Australia perhaps."

"Good."

"Before I go, I have to ask you one last thing. A favor. I need blood, the vervain - it weakened me-"

"You are unbelievable." Alaric interrupted, shaking his head, but he went down to the basement anyway, and came back with two bags. Stefan thanked him and sucked them both dry. Caroline walked down into the room, her eyes red.

"You're leaving?" She said, her face distraught.

"I can't stay." He said. "Not now." He brushed a curl behind her ear.

Just as she opened her mouth to say something else, Stefan fell violently to floor and began twitching.

"Stefan! Stefan! What is it?" She shouted falling to her knees and reaching out to him. "What's happening?" She placed her hand on his shoulder as his body went into seizure. Alaric came closer too, but kept a healthy distance.

"The blood!" Stefan rasped. "The blood! Chain me up again. _Do it now!_" He shouted.


	11. Losing My Faith in You

**Hi y'all,**

**Sorry for the delay! My laptop died and it took a while to get that sorted. **

**And honestly I was suffering from lack of inspiration too, but I think I have finally found my mojo again.**

**I hope you like this new chapter. I enjoyed reading your comments on the last one. Although I know not everyone is entirely happy, I am pleased you have said you will keep reading along. Thanks for having trust in me. **

**BTW the new season is excellent isn't it? **

**Silverfoxpunk**

* * *

><p><strong>In the Hour Before Dawn<strong>

**Chapter 11: Losing My Faith in You **

**A FEW DAYS LATER**

The flight was busy and Damon and Elena had not been able to get seats together. They were in opposite aisles, but with a block of four between them. They felt like they were a million miles away from each other.

Damon looked over to Elena, his sharp eyes able to block out the visual noise of the passengers between them. She looked peaceful as she flicked through her magazine, her eyes drifting noncommittally over the glossy pages. She radiated a calm which had been entirely absent from their flight out.

* * *

><p>Damon twisted the tumbler of whiskey in his hand. He wondered if he had achieved the goal he had set out for himself that first day on the island? <em>Had<em> he awoken all her senses? _Was_ she truly living now? The longer he thought about it, the more he realized that perhaps it was not Elena who had been brought back to the world, it was him. So his plan had entirely backfired. She was fine, but he was a shadow of his former self. He was practically human again.

Suddenly Elena realized she was being watched. She tucked her long, dark, hair behind her ear and gave him a sweet smile. His eyes twinkled and he gave her a crooked smile in response.

He asked the person sat next to him whether he could borrow a pen and he wrote on the napkin that came with his whisky. He folded it into a triangle and then leaned over the aisle to the person sat in the block between himself and Elena, and asked whether he would kindly deliver the note to the girl on the other side of the plane. This caused a chain of note passing that he imagined could be seen in one of Ric's lessons.

* * *

><p>Elena spotted a beautiful handbag in her magazine when she felt the passenger sat across the aisle from her tap her on her shoulder. The smiling woman handed her a square napkin which had been folded in half. Elena took it from her, feeling puzzled. She thanked the person and flipped it open. There were three words written inside.<p>

_Mile high club?_

She leaned forwards and looked over to Damon. He waggled his eyebrows mischievously at her.

A member of the cabin crew happened to be passing her by, so Elena put out a hand out to stop her.

"Excuse me Miss, would you mind delivering this note for me to the gentleman sat over there?" Elena asked. The woman flicked her heavily made up eyes to where Elena pointed. Damon immediately tried to look busy.

"You mean the one who is trying, but failing, to look innocent?" The stewardess said with a smile.

"Yep. That's the one." Elena concurred.

"Got a bit of the devil in him has he?"

"You have no idea."

The woman smiled. Elena quickly scrawled a note of her own beneath Damon's and folded the note back in half. The woman smiled conspiratorially. "I'm glad to be of assistance." She said, and tucked the note into her pocket and continued her round. When she got to Damon, she slipped the note onto his tray and carried on walking.

Damon flipped open the napkin and read Elena's small, neat hand.

_Behave! _

He smiled and began immediately to write back. This time, the note was slightly longer. The cabin crew woman had already moved on, so he used the conga-line method again. The passenger nearest him gave him a 'this better be the last time' look, but he took the note anyway without needing to be compelled and passed it on down the line.

Damon fixed his eyes on his fiancé and watched for her reaction. He grinned when he saw her blush violently and shove the note at speed into her pocket. She looked rapidly over her shoulder to check that no fellow passengers had caught a glimpse, then leaned forwards in her seat and fixed him with a glare.

Damon sat back in his seat, folded his arms across his chest and chuckled.

* * *

><p>Katherine paced the room. She was biting her nails. It was a disgusting habit she had once had, and as soon as she noticed she was doing it, she stopped. There was nothing she hated more than to be reminded of her once-upon-a-time humanity.<p>

She sat down heavily on an abandoned packing crate and cast her eye over the room she was in. The house was ex-rental, now abandoned. It's occupants had clearly left in a hurry owing money. The place had been left in a total mess. Anything that wasn't essential had been dumped. There was trash in every corner.

Just being in a place like this was beneath her, yet alone staying here - but she knew she had no choice. After the incident at the border, she had to lie low for a while.

In her experience it was likely to be weeks before the anyone would get around to getting contractors in. In that sense at least, this place was a godsend.

Normally she would compel a couple of people to clean up for her and bring her blood (or she would feed directly off them), but this time she was going to have to do things the hard way and do it herself. Humans came with complications. Every person she involved would have a network of other people connected to them. Each link in the chain could be the weak one and expose her to the kind of people she was trying to keep away from.

On one hand, there was the police, who were looking for answers. And on the other, was Klaus. He had forgotten about her temporarily whilst he toyed with Stefan, but how long that would last was anyone's guess. She didn't fancy getting his attention again.

She sighed. Perhaps if she was lucky a few junkies would attempt to break in to the house looking for a place to stay and she would get a free meal. Otherwise it was off to the blood-bank under cover of night, which she hadn't done in years. After all, using her contacts right now would put her at risk of discovery too.

She figured she had at least six months of keeping under the radar until the cop heat cooled off. It was going to be awful, but unless she came up with some sort of brilliant plan in the meantime, she would just have to cope.

* * *

><p>As the plane landed, the playful mood both Damon and Elena had found themselves in quickly faded as the harsh realities of the world they had returned to began to hit home.<p>

Mystic was not a place of eternal sunshine, sea, sand and sex - but one where their problems rose to meet them. What faced them both was the long, possibly fruitless, hunt for Stefan.

What's more, it was no ordinary hunt. This was not just about rescuing Stefan from Klaus - a hybrid so dangerous that they were both scared of him - but was also about breaking the news to Stefan's that his relationship with the love of his life was over, so she could marry his brother. He probably wouldn't take it too well.

* * *

><p>With her hand in Damon's as they queued to get through passport control, Elena felt her mood change. She was jet-lagged and grouchy. Even Damon pulling her close and burying his lips in her hair didn't pacify her. He read her mood and said nothing.<p>

His bag was one of the last to come off the baggage carousel and he hiked it onto his back as if it was heavy to him, in order to keep up appearances. He bundled her out of the terminal building and into the world's longest cab queue, where she sat on her suitcase and sent a text to Jer, Bonnie, Alaric and Caroline. It was the same three ironic words that she sent to them all.

_Home sweet home. _

* * *

><p>It was Jer who got to Elena first. She answered his call as the queue began moving, and was surprised to see that she also had a call waiting.<p>

"Hi Jer, I gotta call waiting from Caroline. Hang on, I'll just tell her I'll call her back -"

"No! Don't take the call, Elena." he said, sounding panicky. She frowned.

"What? Why?" She asked. At that precise moment, Damon's cell rang too.

"Ric. Buddy." He answered, "Y'missed me bro?"

"Jer, what is going on?" Elena continued. "Why can't I speak to Caroline?"

"Elena, please just don't talk to anyone until you have come to see me. Don't go to the boarding house. Get Damon to bring you home. _Our_ home." He added pointedly.

"Why?"

"Please just do it, Elena. And don't speak to Caroline, Bonnie or Ric until you have seen me first."

He hung up.

She stood looking at her handset puzzled, and jumped a little when her phone immediately began to ring again. It was Bonnie this time. She thought about answering it, but her brother's words rang in her ears and instead she hit reject call.

She tuned in to Damon who was turning away from her physically and lowering his voice, which he only did when he was worried about something. She heard him say "Sure, I'll bring her, but she's not gonna like it. She's promised to go straight to her home to speak to Jeremy. Okay okay, we'll see you there in twenty minutes." Damon hung up. He turned to face her with a puzzled expression.

Her own phone was ringing again. Caroline was calling back. She let it ring.

"What's happening, Damon?" She asked, puzzled. He shrugged.

"I don't know. But something. I guess Ric will explain."

"Jer said not to talk to Ric."

"Forgive me, but I know who I trust more."

"He's my _brother_, Damon, and if he says not to talk to Ric, then I'm not gonna talk to Ric."

Damon reached out and took her free hand, whilst her other clutched at her still-ringing phone.

"I understand, but I also know this. Ric only wants the best for you guys. If you don't trust him, then I am asking you to trust me. We go see Ric first, then we go see Jer. Together. Is that a deal?"

She thought for a moment, then gave him a reluctant nod.

* * *

><p>As the cab pulled up in the driveway of the boarding house, Damon cast his eyes over the facia of the building. He had a bad feeling deep in the pit of his stomach. He said nothing as he stepped out of the cab and into the cool air, but a sudden shiver overtook his body.<p>

Alaric heard their car arriving and opened the boarding house door to meet them. He raised his hand in greeting, but his solemn face gave them no reassurance.

Damon paid the driver and steeled himself for what was to come.

* * *

><p>"I don't understand. What do you mean he's tied up?" Elena was saying. Damon squeezed her hand in warning, but she shook him off. Alaric noticed their ease with each other, but said nothing. He could only deal with one problem at a time.<p>

"Elena, you don't understand, when Stefan is on human blood, he is out of control. He asked us to tie him up." He said. "Well this time anyway." He added under his breath, a comment not missed by Damon.

"I want to see him."

"And you will, but there's something else you need to know first."

Damon frowned. He could just tell there was more to this story, and what's more he could tell he wasn't going to like it. Stefan being tied up to his own bed had to be only part of a desperate situation, otherwise Alaric would not have looked so grim and their phones wouldn't have lit up like a holiday switchboard as soon as they touched down on American soil.

Elena fidgeted beside him. He could feel her impatience come off her like a heat.

"Elena, please - I'm asking you again. Won't you sit down?" Ric's soft eyes pleaded. Damon sat down himself hoping that she would follow his lead. She did. Ric took the seat opposite.

The teacher clasped his hands, rested his elbows on his knees and looked down between his legs. Damon examined his friend's features and decided that he had not slept.

Ric let himself look up, his hazel eyes meeting Elena's deep brown ones as if he was searching for something. He took a breath.

"Elena, it's about Jeremy." Elena was immediately on her feet again.

Damon reached up for her hand and pulled her back down beside him. "Be still." He whispered to her in a low voice.

Alaric waited for her to calm down, before he began again.

"What is it? What's happened to Jer?" She said, tears forming in her eyes.

"As I said, we have had Stefan under twenty-four hour watch. Jer had been doing his bit - taking shifts, watching him, feeding him... You have to understand something important Elena, who Stefan is _now_, is not the person he was when he arrived. Stefan didn't know who he was, didn't remember anything."

"Didn't remember anything?" Damon queried, looking puzzled. "What, nothing at all?"

"Nothing. It was so odd, it was like the blood use had made him forget."

"Blood consumption wouldn't do that..." Damon said frowning.

"Well we assumed it was that, because - well, Stefan _had_ kinda been on a binge... And as you know, he doesn't do so good on the human stuff." Alaric said as delicately as he could. Damon closed his mouth firmly, but kept his thoughts to himself.

"Ric, what's happened to Jer?" Elena interrupted forcefully, hoping to bring him sharply back to the point. The teacher returned his gaze to her.

"I'm getting to that. It's important you understand everything." He visibly took a moment before he began his story again. "Anyway, whatever the reason, Stefan didn't know who he was, or who _any_ of us were. He didn't even know he was in Mystic Falls. Because we thought it was the blood lust causing it, we assumed that if we decreased the human blood in his diet, then his memory would come back naturally. You know, over time." He sighed. "We were wrong."

Ric looked at Damon, then back down at his own feet. He rocked from his toes to his heels. "When he came here, Stefan wasn't Stefan. He was this cunning, manipulative vampire, using every wile he had. Somehow, he got to Jer. I think it was a combination of mind games and thoughts he planted in him. Honestly, I really don't know." Ric paused and let that sink in. "But Jer told me that Stefan was in his dreams." Alaric ran a hand through his hair and shifted in his seat, straightening up as he did so. "I don't know what crazy vampire bullshit he was using, but it worked."

Damon scowled, then quickly relaxed his forehead again, fearful that Elena would pick up on quite how troubling he found this news. "I blame myself," Ric continued, "I knew something was up with Jer, but I couldn't figure out what. I just thought he was grieving. I thought he was strong, and that there was no danger around Stefan, but I was picturing a different kind of danger and I was wrong. I let you down, and I let Jer down and for that I am so sorry."

"Danger? What danger?" Elena looked puzzled. "Did he bite him? Is that what you mean?" She asked, her voice an octave higher. Damon took her hand and squeezed it as if to say 'calm yourself'.

"Elena, there's no easy way to say this. And I hope you understand that Stefan had no recollection of who he was. He wanted to make an attachment for some reason and he did. Jer's been kinda having a hard time dealing with all that has been going on, feeling kinda powerless I guess, and well, Stefan used that. He focused on his vulnerability, and he..."

"He what? Tell me Ric, please." Elena begged.

"I'm sorry Elena, Stefan abused Jer. Sexually I mean. They were intimate with each other."

Before he could say another word, Elena was half way up the stairs to Stefan's room. Damon glanced with genuine shock at Ric, before he used his vampire speed to get ahead of Elena and block her access to Stefan's door. He stretched both arms across the door frame.

"Charging in here may not be the way to handle this, Elena." He said in a warning tone, but she put both hands on his waist and pushed with all her might.

"Get out of my way!" She said explosively. Even though she had no chance of moving him, he stepped aside for her. He had no right to stop her seeking the truth. And besides, he himself was curious.

* * *

><p>Elena flung open the door and gasped as she saw Stefan lying on the bed, his wrists and ankles bound by thick steel chains. Of course he had heard everything and so he was waiting for her, his face pained and guilt ridden. She went straight to him and grabbed the lapels of his shirt.<p>

"Tell me it's not true!" She said shaking him. Stefan shook his head, he couldn't tell her that. She shook her own head. "No! No..."

Damon leaned against the doorway and frowned. It was a bleak situation and not at all the one he had anticipated. He knew Alaric's story was the truth as soon as he walked into the room. He felt worry deep inside. God, this was messed up.

Stefan suddenly met his eyes.

"Get her out of here." His brother begged him, "It's not safe for her." Damon waited a moment, then went towards Elena and reached out to her, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"Come away, Elena. No good will come of this, and besides, he can't be near you right now. He can smell your blood."

"No! _No!_" She said stubbornly and shrugged Damon off.

"_Get her out of here!_" Stefan yelled suddenly and desperately. Damon put his arms around Elena's waist and lifted her up, but she fought him like a Banshee.

He made consoling noises as he lifted her backwards to the door, but she was beyond hysterical and fought him wildly as she screamed.

Eventually Damon managed to wrestle her out of the room and the door swung closed behind them.

* * *

><p>Stefan breathed heavily. He lay back on his bed and looked at the ceiling. He could hear Elena's howling and crying as Damon dragged her farther and farther from his door.<p>

Stefan rolled onto his side as best he could and thought of the damage he had done to all their relationships. How could she ever forgive him?

No. He wouldn't panic. Not yet anyway. Despite everything, Damon was her friend and Stefan trusted that his brother would be able to calm her down enough so that eventually they would be able to talk together like adults.

If he knew Elena at all, he would get his moment to explain. He would tell her that what happened with Jer would _never_ happen again, and that he didn't know himself when it happened. He would explain that he would do all it took to make it up to the boy, and to her. He would never hurt either of them again.

Yes, Elena was angry right now - angry and confused. She had every right to be, but ultimately she was a reasonable person. He had faith in his brother to bring her to him in time so he could begin to mend this dreadful thing. For sure, it was true that Damon loved Elena, but he was sure that he would do this one thing for him. Damon could be cruel, but he was not an idiot. He knew that Stefan's love for Elena's was eternal, unshakeable. And it was the same for her too.

What worried Stefan most was not his relationship with Elena, but her relationship with Jer. The sexual liaison he had had with the boy would probably drive a wedge between the siblings that may never truly be fixed. Since they had found out that they were not true brother and sister, perhaps they would no longer feel like they had to be a part of each other's lives? If that was the case, he would feel truly despicable for causing that rift.

Stefan dug deep and found the resolve he needed. He wasn't ready to give up on his relationship with Elena. He would never give up on it, because she would never give up on him.

In that moment, he knew he would do whatever it took to win her trust back again.

Stefan curled into a fetal position as best he could and as he did, his hand brushed against something which had fallen onto his sheets. It was just a scrunched up old napkin. A bit of trash. It had probably fallen out of one of their pocket's during the struggle.

He reached out for it. Suddenly keen to take in either his lover or his brother's scent. He planned to bring it to his nose and breathe it in, but as soon as he touched it, the ball of paper relaxed in his hand. The creases softened out and the folds loosened.

He frowned. There was writing on it. He used both hands and flattened it out. He recognized Elena and Damon's penmanship.

_Mile high club?_

_Behave!_

_Never. I want my hands on your body & my lips on all the places that never got to see the sun, right now. I've dedicated my life to the pursuit of making you moan as loudly as you did last night. x_

* * *

><p>The sound of Stefan's keening made the hair on the back of Ric's neck stand up. He had never heard anything like it - the raw power of Stefan's pain was met by Elena's cries from the other end of the house. He briefly covered his ears.<p>

Ric stood frozen to the spot with indecision; a Sophie's choice of going to Stefan, or Elena.

Elena's phone lay abandoned on the couch. It buzzed almost continuously with calls. Finally he picked up the handset and saw the name on the caller display, 'Jeremy'. He let it go to voicemail.

He made his decision and picked up his coat. There were some things he just couldn't solve.

* * *

><p>Damon sat kneeling on the floor with his hands around Elena's wrists to stop her hurting herself. She sat wailing on the floor. Her face was as pained as he had ever seen it. He could barely look into her injured eyes, they were simultaneously accusative, hurt and deeply shocked. He pulled her into his chest and lay her there, even though she railed against him.<p>

"Jesus, Elena, take a breath." He began, "I know you are hurting, but you cannot do this to yourself." He breathing became long deep sobs, but just as he thought she was slowing, a new bout of tears overcame her. He let go of one of her wrists and pulled her head under his chin. "I'm going to get you out of here." He said. "We'll go see Jer, hear his side of the story."

She nodded into his chest.

* * *

><p>Betrayed! She had betrayed him. With his own self-serving, conniving, son-of-a-bitch brother.<p>

Stefan roared. His blood was boiling. He yanked at his chains until his wrists and feet bled. He was more furious than he had ever been before.

Yes, he may have hurt her first - but sleeping with Jeremy had been an _accident_. He was not himself. He didn't even know who the boy was at the time he did it. He could not be blamed for acting on his vampire nature. But this... This was cold. And calculated. He could not forgive this.

His heart slowly filled up with the acrimonious thoughts of his bitter, black mood.

He hated them both. Now it was time to let them know.


	12. The Morning After the Night Before

**A/N: Please follow me on Twitter for updates, hints, observations... AT Silverfoxpunk.**

**Warning. This chap has some hot and heavy stuff. **

**Sorry it is a bit long. I wanted to get to a specific point.**

**Getting close to finishing this story I feel.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 12: The Morning After The Night Before<strong>

Caroline woke up feeling wretched. Her plans had all come to nothing, and what had happened in the last three weeks had caused more hurt, resentment and grief than if Stefan had never returned at all.

Everything was her fault. It had been her insistence that everyone do things her way that had caused this mess. Now nobody was talking to each other. Neither Elena or Damon would return her calls. She had no idea if they knew about her and Stefan, so she just had to assume they did. Ric had texted her to say to stop calling them - that they were busy dealing with the Jer incident and that she should let them alone for a few days. How he knew she was calling them was another mystery she guessed she wouldn't solve in a hurry.

And then there was what had happened between Stefan and her. Simply put, the sex changed everything. She had wanted him so badly, that when the situation presented itself she hadn't stop to think.

By the time she had gotten to her car at the boarding house, she already had that sinking feeling deep inside herself. A voice inside her head kept repeating 'you total idiot'. Now when she thought about the sex it made her feel physically sick. She had made to love to her best friend's boyfriend. When he still smelled of sex from someone else. And that 'someone else' was too just too shocking to even put a name to, even in her thoughts.

They voice in her head was right. She was an idiot. She had arrogantly believed that she could manage the Stefan situation because she understood what it was to be a vampire. In the last three weeks the only thing she had come to understand was just how little she knew. When it came to being a vampire she was a child - a beginner.

Now she looked back at it, she was out of her depth from the start. What made it fractionally worse, (if that were even possible), was the nagging feeling that by bringing Stefan back to himself, that she had made things worse for him too.

Between Alaric and her, they had figured out that the vervain which Alaric had injected into Stefan, had swept through his body and washed the human blood from his system. It had been the reason his memory had come back. But as to why it had gone in the first place - they were none the wiser. He thought he was safe, but when the blood had returned he became violent again. But he had his memories back, and he was more like the old Stefan they once knew, just a dangerous version thereof.

Guilt and self-loathing washed over her and she put her head on her knees and her arms around her legs and began to rock.

* * *

><p>Bonnie bounded down her stairs, pulling her hair out of her collar as she did so. Jer was stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting for her, as he often did now he had a key to her place. Normally he greeted her with a smile, but today he seemed troubled.<p>

"Bon, we need to talk."

"I didn't hear you arrive. Why didn't you come upstairs?" She said smiling, skipping down the final few steps and stooping to kiss him over the banister. When he barely responded she looked troubled. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Please, will you come and sit down with me?" He asked, she nodded and followed him to her couch. As soon as she sat down, he began. "Bonnie, you know I love you."

"And I love you too." She said, smiling broadly. He smiled back, but there was little warmth there. She felt her own smile dissolve from her face.

"I need to ask you something." He began, "Why don't you sleep over at my place any more?"

Immediately Bonnie colored. "I need coffee. Do you want coffee?" She said sounding flustered. She stood up and made to leave, but Jeremy caught her hand and pulled her gently back down to the seat next to him.

"I think I know why you don't stay over any more." He squeezed her hand. "I talk in my sleep, don't I?"

She looked at him warily and nodded.

"It's been happening a lot recently, hasn't it?" He took her silence as confirmation. "And you're worried about it, aren't you? About what I say..?"

"It's just nonsense." She answered quickly. "It doesn't mean anything. It's only that you disturb my sleep, so I've stopped staying over. It's nothing. I don't want to talk about it, I just want to go to school."

Jer searched her face with his soft brown eyes. "You never were a very good liar, Bonnie."

"Jer, if I am lying, then what are you trying to say?"

"I think you know."

She pulled her hand quickly from his, her reaction changing quickly from denial to disbelief, then anger. She began to shake her head.

"Jer, what are you saying? You were talking in your sleep about Stefan Salvatore! I just thought you were muddled up, grieving. You know. You can't be saying what I think you are saying... It was just nonsense. Confused nonsense..." She petered out.

"Bonnie. Everything I said, I felt. I don't expect you to understand, I don't even think I understand myself, but I wanted to be seduced by Stef-"

She jumped to her feet and wagged her finger at him. "Don't finish that sentence, because if you do, there is no going back."

Jer stood slowly and looked down into her eyes.

"Bonnie, I never meant to hurt you..."

Tears rushed to her eyes, she covered her mouth with her hands, shaking her head.

"This has to be a dream, this can't be true." She closed her eyes and he gripped her shoulders.

"I love you, but Stefan understood me in a way I never expected. He made me feel, incredible." Bonnie pushed away from him with a hand on his chest, she bent double.

"I'm going to be sick."

"Bonnie -"

She thrust her fist in her mouth and ran back up to her room, slamming the door behind her. He looked up the stairs and listened to her wretch in her bathroom.

He took a deep breath and followed her up the stairs.

* * *

><p>In the night, Stefan had stopped tugging at his chains and lay back on his bed, staring at his now overly familiar ceiling and letting his mind consider every angle of his situation.<p>

He had assessed the levels of what he had done in the last three weeks and weighed it against Elena and Damon's wrongdoing. His thoughts confirmed what he already knew, that what Elena had done to him was far worse than what he had done. After all, he was a captive, what was her excuse?

Caroline had merely been a comfort to him at a time when he was lost and hurt. Their sex was regrettable, but understandable. Elena would have forgiven him for that if she ever found out and frankly who was going to tell her? Caroline? Hell no. Him? Not a chance. Which left Jer. Well, that was even easier to explain - Alaric had already told her most of it. Stefan had seen his opportunity to connect to one of his captors and he had taken it. Who could blame him?

So what Elena had done was far, far worse. She had knowingly and actively betrayed his trust, with his demon of a brother behind it all pulling at the strings.

Just the thought of it sickened him to his stomach.

So Damon wanted her - and with his usual ruthless and selfish dedication to getting exactly what he wanted whilst saying hell to the consequences - he had done just that.

Well, Stefan wasn't about to let him have it all his way. If Elena wanted someone else, then let her _have_ someone else. And if Damon want to do hurtful, reckless, self-centered things, then let him see how it felt to be at the receiving end of his own actions...

And suddenly, like a whisper becoming a shout, Stefan had a plan.

* * *

><p>In the end, Damon had not been able to get Elena out of the house. She had been too hysterical. At one point, she had torn Stefan's vervain necklace off her neck and tossed it across the floor. And that was one of her quiet times. They had been here all night.<p>

Now he lay on the spare room bed with Elena wrapped tightly in his arms. She had cried for hours and he had tried his best to comfort her, but he felt out of his depth. He hadn't said much to her, after all, what words would help?

Besides, he had a nagging voice in the back of his head that kept asking him why was she so upset about this anyway? After all, Jeremy was entitled to make his own choices (however stupid they may be), and Stefan - well - he was her past, not her future. The voice was a mere whisper, but it told him that Elena's reaction to Stefan sleeping with Jer was more that just an overly protective sister thing; she felt betrayed. And if she felt betrayed, it meant she still had feelings for his brother. Deep ones.

On the island he had told her that he knew her feelings for Stefan would not disappear overnight. But then again, he hadn't expected that they would be demonstrated so violently. Her reaction to this situation made him feel a bit differently to what he had said. In fact, quite a lot differently. It was one thing to think she would slowly let her feelings go for Stefan. It was entirely another to have her bawl all night because of him.

He tried to not think about it. He tried to let that voice stay in the back of his head and be drowned out by the other more positive ones - the voices that told him it was _his_ arms she lay in, _his_ comfort that she sought. But it was hard, damn hard.

He didn't want to be, but he was angry. Perhaps this was another reason he couldn't find the words to comfort her. Maybe he just didn't want to.

Now, as the sunrise peeked through the curtains, he tried to forget his niggling doubts and he kissed her lips gently as though everything was fine. She looked at him with tired, puffy eyes and she lay her hand on his cheek. He held her hand to his face, then frowned as he felt her skin. "You're cold." He reprimanded. He blew on her hand and rubbed it between both of his until he warmed it a little.

"I love you." She said suddenly, as if reminding herself of the fact. He tried to smile, but her words felt hollow since she had spent all night crying over his brother.

He leaned in to kiss her again and this time she caught his lips in hers. To his surprise, she pressed in closer, cupping the back of his neck with her hand to keep him in the kiss. Her lips parted, her tongue slipped between his and she pressed her breasts firmly against his chest. She bowed herself against him, moving her hand down from his head to his waist, slipping it under his shirt and touching his skin. He felt his body react. Despite everything, it was still a thrill to have her want him.

He slipped his own hand down her back and over her behind. When he reached her thigh, he pulled her leg over his. She went further and shifted completely until she was straddling him. She pinned him to the bed, looking down at him with need in her eyes.

He mirrored her gaze, his own face a mixture of concern and curiosity. Where her ardor was coming from he had no idea and he wasn't entirely sure he would like the answer if he had one. The only other time she had taken the initiative was the first time she had slept with him, and that time she was hurting too. What was he to her - a band-aid?

She stripped off her vest top, her bra quickly following, and he was distracted from his sour thoughts. He leaned back and took her in with greedy eyes. He just couldn't resist a confident, sexy, woman who took control. Whatever it was fueling her need, she clearly knew what she wanted and was doing her darndest to seduce him. Despite his reservations, she was succeeding.

Elena undid the button on her black cord skirt slowly, looking at him as she did it, and she began to slide the zipper down slowly. He couldn't bear it. He flipped her over and attacked her neck with kisses, trailing his lips down her collar bone until he was nibbling and kneading her breasts, and taking her hardening nipples into his mouth. She rolled her head back and sighed from a place deep inside herself.

But she wasn't done taking control. She leaned down and began to tug at his shirt, pulling it over his arms. He dropped his own jeans to the floor, then slid her skirt over her slender hips and buried his face between her legs.

"Oh God!" She cried out as he broke apart her panties and began to move his tongue in darting movements over her silken skin. He slipped two fingers inside of her and rubbed with his thumb. In no time at all, she came. He moved over her glistening body with vampire speed and pushed into her. She tugged at his behind, digging her nails into him, pulling him deeper and rising her hips to meet every thrust.

Suddenly she pushed against his chest to stop him, and she felt his surprise as she wriggled out from under him and began to turn over. When he saw what she wanted, he helped her over onto her knees as easily as if she were a rag-doll. He entered her from behind so rapidly that she cried out. He placed his hands on either side of her hips as he kept his rhythm, increasing his speed as she grew more and more vocal. Her hands gripped at the bedsheets for purchase as he slammed into her. She pushed back against him with all her strength.

This sex was carnal, lustful and from his point of view at least, angry. Each of them was out for themselves. He reached around and grabbed her breast and as she contracted her muscles against him, he didn't feel like holding back and came with a grunt.

So much for taking it slow.

* * *

><p>"Matt, hi, are you awake?"<p>

"Caroline? Um, yeah. Yeah. Sure. Just about. Hi. Erm, isn't it kind of early for calls?"

"Can I see you?"

"It's my day off. I don't have any plans, so I guess so. Where do you want to meet?"

"Can I come over?"

"Well, the place is kind of messy."

"I don't care."

"Care, are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Matt, I don't want anything from you. I just need a friend."

"Tyler not working out in that department, huh?"

"Matt, don't..."

"Okay okay. Come over. I'll be here."

* * *

><p>Jer walked into Bonnie's bedroom and found Vicki sat on the chair opposite the door, looking at him with sad eyes.<p>

"She's not the only one who want to know what's going on." She said, indicating with a gentle nod of her head towards the bathroom.

Jer looked away from his ghost witness and knocked gently on the bathroom door.

"Bonnie?"

"Go away! Get out of here. I don't want to talk to you." Bonnie replied, locking the door.

He sighed and sat down with his back against it. Vicki moved over to Bonnie's bed and sat on the end so that she was opposite Jer, her feet almost touching his.

"I'm not here to make excuses, or to tell you that everything that happened was a mistake. l'm here to apologize to you, because I let things happen without taking time to stop and consider what would happen to us. I know it's over. I'm not a fool. I know you won't be able to forgive what I have done."

Inside the bathroom, Bonnie pressed her back against the door. She tipped her head back and let her tears pour.

"What have you 'done'?" She said. "Actually, I don't even want to know."

"I slept with Stefan-" He said sharply, because he had to say it all, there was no going back and he didn't want her to ever think he was ashamed of what he had done, even if she hated him for it.

Bonnie's strangled sob interrupted his train of thought and even Vicki's face creased into a frown. She may have been there to witness it all, but it was still a difficult memory for her.

Jeremy took a breath and continued. "I slept with Stefan," he repeated, "not because he compelled me, but because I wanted to." He paused, Vicki's frown deepened, but she said nothing. When she was alive she never listened to him, but maybe in death she had more patience. Bonnie's crying continued behind the closed door.

"He made me feel... I don't know," Jer sighed, "like I had sway over him. As though I could be more... well more everything actually." He shook his head and closed his eyes. "I don't know how to find the words." He sighed. For a moment the room fell quiet.

Vicki stood up and walked over to the window. Even Bonnie's snuffling from behind the door stilled.

"I guess he made me feel more like a man than I have ever felt before." Jer finished eventually. He stood up. "I'm gonna go now, Bonnie." He looked at Vicki as he spoke. "I know you hate me right now. I know you don't understand, but I hope in time you will forgive me and that you will come to realize that I have never stopped loving you."

And with those final words, he walked from the bedroom.

* * *

><p>It was perfect. A perfect plan for a perfect betrayal.<p>

At first, he had decided on Matt. Matt was good because Elena had been the first girl he had ever loved and he still held residual feelings for her despite their relationship long-since being over. But Matt knew her too well and he was not as easily lead by his feelings as he let people believe. He was no fool either, and he would know that she was behaving out of character.

No, Matt was not good enough.

Which left only one person. Someone with whom she had some kind of history. Someone who was easily swayed by their hormones. Someone who was struggling with issues of self control. Someone who was physically strong.

Yes, it would be easy. A few words and it would be done.

All he had to do now was get Elena back into his room.

* * *

><p>"Are you hungry?" Ric stood at the door with his arm's folded. Stefan nodded. The teacher turned to slip out of the room, but Stefan called him back.<p>

"Ric?"

"What is it?"

"I need to talk to Damon."

"Yeah, well, I need to date a supermodel, but that ain't happening either." Ric left the room and went to collect the blood.

When he returned, Stefan tried again. "Ric please, I'm begging you. Will you tell just Damon that I want to speak to him? That's all I'm asking, for you to pass the message on to him. That's it."

"Stefan, I am all out of favors for you right now." He popped the blood into the microwave and heated it up.

"Please Ric, it's not for me. It's for Elena."

"I don't see what good it will do."

"Please."

"Just leave them both alone. I think you owe them that."

Ric handed him the blood then left the room quickly.

Stefan cursed. He drank the blood fast, then tossed the bag across the room, leaving a bloody stain across his wall. Damn it! Ric would not be swayed. He would have to hope that Elena came to him.

* * *

><p>Stefan was sleeping when he got the sense that somebody was watching him. When he opened his eyes, he found Damon in his room, leaning against the sideboard, his arms and legs crossed.<p>

"Hello little brother, what do you want to see me for?"

"Alaric passed on my message?"

Damon shook his head. "No. I overheard you. I may be old, but I'm not deaf when you yell. What is it you want?"

Stefan shifted on the bed, making his chains rattle.

Damon looked at him with curiosity. "I know you can get out of those." He said, eyeing his brother suspiciously.

"No, I can't. They're strong." Stefan replied. Damon responded with doubt.

"Not as strong as you are, baby-bro. Which leads me to the question, if you _can_ get out, then why haven't you?" Damon's face returned to it's now familiar frown. "Why stay here hog-tied for weeks on end, when you could just get out and continue your bloody rampage of terror?"

"These chains are solid steel."

"But the bedposts are snappable. Like a twig." When Stefan refused to reply, Damon continued to look at him suspiciously. "And another thing," he continued, "why hasn't Caroline turned up for her shift?"

"You heard that too?"

Damon nodded. "Yes. I heard Ric take a call from her ten minutes ago."

"I don't know why she isn't coming."

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not. And even if I was, it's none of your business, Damon."

"Fine. Keep your little secrets if you must. I guess I'll find out soon enough. So, why _did_ you want to see me, little brother?"

"Because I want to talk to Elena."

"Ha!"

"Please, Damon, I need you to speak to her for me. I just want a minute to explain. Just one minute."

"You fucked her baby brother - baby brother - so don't expect her to be in a hurry to run back into your arms."

Stefan eyed Damon at that final comment. Interesting. He definitely detected a note of jealousy there. Good. Damon was so predictably insecure. This would be like taking candy from a baby.

Stefan rearranged his features until they were suitably repentant, and returned once more to begging for Elena's forgiveness.

"Please just ask her. You're her friend, she'll listen to you..."

"She has her own mind, Stefan. She'll do what she wants to do."

"Damon, if I ever meant anything to you, then you will do this one thing for me. Please. I have to tell her I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well, she may not want to hear it." Damon said walking towards the door. He opened it, then looked back over his shoulder. "And frankly, I couldn't blame her."

Damon walked outside the door and shut it behind him, he looked to his right where he knew Elena was stood hiding and listening in. In her eyes were tears. She took a breath and then walked past him and put her hand on the the closed door. Damon put his hand on her arm. "Be careful." He mouthed. She nodded and opened the door.

* * *

><p>Caroline knocked on the door and waited. The last time she had been here, he had tricked her and recorded their entire conversation for her mother to hear. Funny how that didn't matter to her now. Matt suddenly seemed like her only friend in the world.<p>

"Hey." She said, the sadness she was feeling clearly reflected in her voice. Matt looked puzzled.

"Hey yourself." Matt opened the door and signaled for her to enter. "Come in." She didn't even make it to his living room before the tears started. She turned to face him, and as soon as he saw her face, he felt pity for her. She ran into his waiting arms.

"What is it, Care? What's got you so shaken up?"

"I messed up, Matt. I messed up big time."

"Come and sit down. I'll get you a drink and you can tell me about it." He drew her over to the couch with his arm around her shoulders as she brushed her tears away. He dropped his arm and rushed to clear the empty pizza box and assembled trash off the seat so she could sit down.

"Sorry, maid's day off." He joked lamely. She tried a smile, but it quickly fell away. He rushed out of the room and came back with beers for them both. She put hers down by her side unopened.

He pushed a load of junk off the coffee table opposite her and sat down on it. He took a swig from his beer then also put it down.

"Right, what's going on? I don't see you in ages and then you turn up on my doorstep in tears. What's up?"

* * *

><p>Elena stayed by the door and as soon as she entered his room, Stefan sat up as best he could. "Elena!"<p>

"Don't tell me you are sorry, Stefan. Anything but that." She said. "Why? Why would you do such a thing?"

"Come closer." He said.

She shook her head. "I'm fine here."

"If you come closer we can talk in private." She knew what he meant, he meant 'without being overheard by Damon.'

"I want him to hear." She said.

He nodded. "Okay, I get that. I understand. Thank you. For coming, I mean."

"I'm so angry at you right now I could drive a stake through your heart."

Funny that - he felt the same way.

He nodded. "I know. I'm sor- I'm sure you feel that way. I get it, I do. I just want you to know that I will do everything I can to mend things with Jeremy, to put things back the way they were."

She looked at the blood stains on the wall and the chains around his wrists.

"You can't. They'll never be the same again." She said. "But let me tell you this, if I find out you hurt him, I will kill you."

"He's fine. Despite what you might think, Elena, it was consensual."

She turned her head away from him and the color drained from her cheeks. Eventually she took a breath.

"I don't ever want to talk about this again after today." She said. He nodded.

"I understand."

She turned to leave, and he said her name. She paused with her hand on the door.

"Elena."

"What is it?"

"There's something I want you to have. It's in the top drawer." He nodded to the dresser that the microwave was sat on. She looked at it and paused. She cast her eye over to him and saw that his chains were taut. He could never reach her from there.

She walked over to the dresser and opened the drawer. Inside was a broken photo frame, it held a picture of her with Stefan's arm around her and Damon was stood beside them. Happier times.

She was so taken aback by the picture, she failed to notice that with vampire speed Stefan had unfurled his chains. He had wrapped them tight around his wrists before Damon had come in in preparation for this moment. It gave him far more reach than she realized and before she had time to react, he leaned forwards and grabbed her.

His hand was over her mouth and his eyes were looking into her's compelling her before she could cry out. He kept his voice so low that even Damon stood right outside the door would not be able to hear him.

"You will go to Tyler Lockwood's house and you will seduce him. You will tell him I am fine and that I have recovered, but that you have broken up with me. If he tries to resist, you will tell him how smart he is, and you will say you have always had a crush on him. And if all else fails, you will tell him that you aren't wearing any panties. You will have sex with him. As soon as he comes, you will come round and realize what you have done. You will confess all to Damon. You will forget you ever had this conversation. Do it today."

He let her go and quickly wrapped himself back up in the chains as she came round. She looked at him, befuddled, then dropped the picture of the three of them on the floor.

"I want you to know, I'll never forgive you for this." She said as she left.

He smiled. He hoped those words would prove to be prophetic. Only, she didn't know the true extent of what she didn't want to forgive him for - not yet anyway.

All he had to do now, was wait. And he was a very patient man.


	13. Unlucky for Some

**Warning, some violence. Quite a lot of angst and tears too. **

**I think I have one chapter left after this (possibly two).**

**I'm a bit obsessed with the number 13, hence this chapter's title (which seemed appropriate).**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 13: Unlucky for Some<strong>

**PRESENT DAY**

"You okay?" Damon took her by the arm and roughly pulled her back towards the farthest bedroom.

"I'm fine. You can let me go, Damon. Please, let me go. You're hurting me." He dropped her arm. Ran his fingers through his hair instead.

"What did he give you?"

She reached into her back pocket where she had stuffed the picture in it's broken frame.

"This."

Damon looked at the photo, a snapshot Caroline had taken at one of the Founders Day barbecues.

Just the sight of Elena with her arm around Stefan made him surly. Had anything since that day really changed for him? He didn't think so. Even now he felt like he was on the outside of their relationship looking in. It was the same old story... De ja vu. And so on and so on, ad infinitum.

He tossed the picture into the trash.

"Come and sit down." He demanded with just a little more edge to his voice than he actually meant to demonstrate. He tried to lead her to the bed, but she pulled away from him.

"Damon, I want to see Jeremy."

He nodded. He had been expecting this.

"Okay, get your stuff. I'll drive."

Something caught her eye behind him and she walked to it. Slowly she leaned down and retrieved from the floor the panties that he had torn from her body earlier. As she straightened up again with the shredded fabric in her hand, he caught her eye and looked away guiltily. Neither of them said anything as she placed them in the trash.

There was unbridled passion and then there was something else. What had passed between them that morning had been something else.

* * *

><p>As they pulled up outside of her house, she hesitated to get out of the vehicle.<p>

She fiddled with her keys inside of her pocket, running the brightly colored Mexican keyring her brother had given her through her fingers again and again. The soft, multi-colored woven strands brushed across her skin and brought her some comfort. Familiarity in a her ever-shifting world.

Damon opened his door and began to get out of the car, but she put out a hand and stopped him.

"What is it?" He said, settling back into his seat.

"I need to do this alone." He looked at her for a long moment.

"You want me to wait? Or will you call me?"

"I'll call. I may be a while."

He looked for a moment like he was going to say something, but clearly thought better of it, leaned over and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

All was not right between them and she knew it, but she didn't have the time to deal with that right now. Damon turned away from her and put his hands on the steering wheel. She took that as her cue to get out of the car.

She wondered if Jeremy had heard her arrive? She wondered if he waited for her with an escalating sense of dread?

Behind her, she heard Damon pull away. She didn't look back. Instead she started walking towards her own front door.

She didn't even get as far as her porch. As soon as she drew level with her car, she stopped and pulled the keys from her pocket. She undid the car's lock, climbed inside and started the engine.

Jer would have to wait. She had somewhere else she needed to be. And it was already late in the day.

* * *

><p>"<em>Tyler, did we...?"<em>

"_You mean you don't remember? This is crazy." Tyler took a beat, then he lowered his voice and with sadness added, "I think you've been compelled." _

"_Who would do such a thing?" She turned to face him shocked._

"_I don't know, but when I find out, they are dead."_

Tyler was so angry that he slammed his fist into the wooden balustrade and left a splinter riddled hole. Elena flinched. He went over to her with his palms outstretched, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." He said and tried to take her into his arms, but she pushed him away.

"I... I want to go." Tears were pouring down her face.

"Don't go. Not like this." Tyler took a breath. His dark eyes fighting so hard not to give in to his wolf side. Elena looked scared and alone. She was shaking violently as if she had just been pulled from the depths of an icy lake.

"Elena, stay just for a little while. Anyway, I don't think you should drive. I mean we've both had quite a bit to drink."

"We have?" She said, her eyes large. He nodded sadly.

He extended his fingers towards her and his eyes told her that he just wanted to comfort her. In the end she let him approach. As soon as he drew near, she closed the distance between them. She wrapped her arms tight around him and cried onto his shoulder.

Tyler stroked her back and made comforting noises. He didn't like to see her tears, especially as they were a response to something he had done. He felt horribly conflicted. To him, she was the same beautiful woman he made love to only moments before. Her hair still smelled of the same rosehip and jasmine fragrance he had been tempted by. She still felt good in his arms, she was still the beautiful, lovely Elena. He still wanted to taste her, to kiss her, to make love to her... Oh God.

He dropped her quickly and stepped away. This time his anger came without control. Who would do this to him - to her? Who would want to hurt either of them in such a cruel way? As soon as he found out, he would rip their goddamn throat out. His eyes turned golden and his skin rippled as the wolf inside of him begged to be free.

"Elena, was this Klaus?" He said suddenly turning to face her. She shook her head. She regarded his yellow eyes with anxiety.

"I don't think so. He's gone."

"Well, what about Katherine? I mean, she likes to fuck with people's heads." He was desperate to apportion blame so he could act on his anger.

"Yes, she does... But I don't think she would do this, I mean Katherine doesn't do anything unless she gets something out of it. What could she hope to gain?"

He thought about that for a while.

"Perhaps she hoped to stop you ever getting back with Stefan?" He suggested.

She flicked her eyes up to him and looked puzzled. "I don't know... I suppose it's possible..." She chewed her lip; doubt etched into her brow.

"But you don't think so." Tyler said.

She shook her head. "Stefan and I are over, for good. If she wants him, she can have him." She said, her face glum.

* * *

><p>That was when she made her mistake. If she had only told Tyler at that precise point in time, maybe things would have gone differently. Maybe she only had herself to blame for what came after. She could spared him the pain. Four little words could have changed everything.<p>

_I'm with Damon now._

But she didn't say them. Didn't give him the warning that he deserved to have.

She just turned her back on the boy who was desperate to hold her and walked away like a zombie.

She didn't look back. Didn't listen to him calling her name over and over again. Ignored his howl when it ripped through the sky behind her.

She let her tears run freely down her face as she walked across the Lockwood's meadow, past her car and then all the way home - with Tyler's semen slowly oozing down her thigh.

* * *

><p>Matt looked at Caroline and then looked away, he ran his hands down his thighs and then got up and paced.<p>

"Wow."

"I'm a dick, huh?" She said. He knew he was supposed to say no, but he just couldn't bring himself to. He sat down in front of her again.

"Look, you said he got into your dreams, right? So it's not your fault."

"But Matt..."

"He got into your dreams and he manipulated you." He continued building a case for her innocence, "And then, even when he remembered who he was, he slept with you anyway, right?" She nodded sadly.

"Well, then. It's Stefan who is a dick. Not you."

"I guess we both are."

"So, what now?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do you want to do about it?"

She looked up at him, puzzled by the question.

"Nothing. I'm gonna leave town. Obviously. I don't have any other choices."

Matt sighed and sat down again. "Care, you are so melodramatic. Look, you slept with your best friend's boyfriend, who for the record, is a prize asshole. Okay, sure - she's not going to thank you for it. But you guys have been friends forever, right?" Care nodded sadly. "So she's gonna forgive you. Eventually."

"No. She's going to hate me."

"Yep, probably, for a bit at least." He said gently, "But she'll get over it because she'll see that Stefan was a dick right from the start, only she didn't realize it. It's not your fault." He repeated.

"Matt it _was_ my fault. It was all my fault." She began to cry again and he reached down and brushed a tear from her cheek. He dropped his hand until it was beneath her chin, then tipped her face so she looked up at him.

"Yes, you did something stupid, Care. Pretty bloody stupid actually, but you were just trying to get Stefan well again so he could be there for Elena when she came back. You never meant for the rest of it to happen."

She sniffed, got to her feet and hugged him.

He held her, conflicted by his emotions. He had been angry at Care for a long time when she had chosen Tyler instead of him. He'd suffered in silence when Tyler and her had had their dates in the Grill and chatted and laughed together at school and left him on his own. But when Care really needed a friend, it was Matt that she turned to. He suddenly understood how grateful he was for that. He knew with a certainty that yes, Elena would be angry, but she would forgive her because she loved her. And just as suddenly, he realized that so did he. And he would forgive her anything too - even not being loved by her.

He pulled out of Caroline's arms and held her shoulders.

"I know what you need." He said seriously. "Phish Food." She laughed through her tears.

"But you hate Ben and Jerry's!" She sniffed.

"Yeah, well... You don't. And I think I still have some here somewhere. Wait here."

He turned to leave, but she grabbed his hand. "Matt. Thank you. For everything." He cast his blue eyes over hers and nodded, then turned away to get the ice-cream.

* * *

><p>By the time Elena had walked all the way home, it was fully dark. She didn't feel the broken blisters on her ankles that made her feet bleed. She opened the door and went inside. The lights were off and it was clear Jer was not home.<p>

Since her relationship with Stefan had begun, she had spent so long at the boarding house that this place didn't feel like hers any more. It felt alien.

She looked to her right to switch the light on and caught sight of Jenna's purse right where she had left it on the couch. She stifled a sob and ran up the stairs in the dark.

She pulled off her clothes and dumped them wherever they landed. In her bathroom she poured a scalding hot bath. As soon as the water was deep enough to cover her, she jumped into it and let her head sink beneath the surface, leaving the faucet still running. She opened her eyes under water and looked at the bathroom ceiling. All was quiet except for sound of the rushing water. The bath began to reach overspill levels.

She wondered what it would be like just to let the water fill her lungs. Would her passing be peaceful? What would happen to her after she had gone? Would she get to see her mom, dad and Jenna again?

Bubbles came out of her nose and mouth. When every last bit of air had left her lungs, she finally surfaced, gasping for air. She reached over to the faucet and shut it down. Water had already spilled over the edge of the tub and onto the floor. She closed her eyes. There was only one thing she could do. If she was going to have a life with Damon, she would have to tell him the truth about Tyler.

She grabbed soap and she scrubbed between her legs until she was raw. Then she scrubbed every bit of her body until her skin stung. She got out of the tub and walked sodden and dripping into her bedroom, where she picked up her phone and dialed Damon's number.

He picked up after one ring.

"Where have you been? I've been worried sick." He began, "Jer is here, where he has been for the past hour waiting for you!"

"Come and get me, Damon. I'm at my house."

She put the phone down and sat on the floor because her knees didn't seem to want to take her weight any more. She ran her fingers over her soaking wet scalp and when she looked at them, she noticed a clump of hair.

She looked at the strands of matted hair long and hard, then reached for her nail scissors.

* * *

><p>Damon's car screeched to a halt in the driveway and he ran at vampire speed to her front door where she was waiting for him.<p>

"Oh my God, Elena. What have you done?"

Elena ran her hand through her uneven crop and smiled wanly at him. "Don't you like it?" She said with shaking voice. He grabbed her roughly by her elbow and dragged her into the house.

"What the hell is going on with you? Where have you been all day? I must have called you a dozen times." Beneath his anger, she could see just how worried he had been. "Jeremy showed up over an hour ago to look for you. He said you never came here. Where have you been all day? And why have you cut your hair?"

"Damon, I don't know what happened. I was here and then I wasn't. I was at Tyler's."

"Lockwood's?" He looked confused. "Why? What do you mean you don't remember?"

She began to shake and he softened a little. "What's going on, Elena?" He said examining her grisly new cut. "Why have you done this to yourself?" He ran his fingers through the damp hair, which was drying curly and uneven. He pulled back and looked her in the eyes. "What's going on with you?"

"You have to promise not to get mad." She said.

"Madder than I am already you mean?" He said. "No. I'm not making promises I might not be able to keep."

"Damon, it wasn't his fault, he was tricked just like I was."

"What do you mean 'it wasn't his fault'? Who, Tyler? Who tricked you..? Elena you aren't making sense." His features darkened like a sudden storm. She gripped his shirt and tried to hold him still, but he put his hands on her wrists, ready to pull her away.

"Damon, he didn't know what was going on either."

"What did he _do_ Elena? What did that fucking dog do to you?"

Her bottom lip began to quiver. She couldn't find the words.

"Did he touch you?" When she didn't answer, his temper tipped over. She let his shirt go, trying to pull her shaking hands away from him, but he kept his grip on her wrists. "Did he hurt you? Elena! I said did he fucking hurt you?"

She shook her head, but he didn't believe her. He dropped her hands and shot from the house so fast he didn't hear her screaming after him, "Don't hurt him! Damon, please! Please, listen to me!".

She grabbed her cell and tried to call Tyler - but it went straight through to voicemail. She tried the house, but there was no answer either. Even if she had her car, she was doubtful she could outstrip Damon.

She didn't know what else to do, so she fell to the floor and sobbed.

* * *

><p>Tyler's body smashed through the glass of his bedroom window and he fell two stories onto the roof below. The vampire followed him outside and landed lightly beside him on the tiles that had broken from the impact of the boy's body. Tyler hurried to regain his full consciousness before the vampire took him out completely. Without a full moon, it wasn't a fair fight. Damon grabbed him by his jersey and held him over the edge of the roof top.<p>

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you?" Damon said with a growl.

"Because he's my only son, and I love him!" Damon's eyes dropped to the ground, where Carol Lockwood had shouted up at him. She stood there looking up at them both with her hands covering her mouth in fear. "Please, Damon. Don't hurt him!"

He looked from her back to the boy, who was clearly terrified. He considered dropping him, but he had no proof that he had done anything wrong. As much as he wanted to hurt someone for making Elena suffer, she had said something about Tyler being tricked too. What with Carol Lockwood crying and Tyler wide-eyed in his hands, he couldn't think.

He pulled the boy back from the edge and threw him ten feet across the roof-top so that his back crashed against a chimney stack. Tyler groaned, but at least he was alive.

Carol was fussing and screaming at Damon from beneath them, so he leaned over the edge and shouted, "He's not dead. I just want a talk with your precious son. Now go inside, this is none of your business." He was too far away to compel her, but when she shook her head and refused to go, Tyler shouted down to her with a croaky voice.

"It's okay mom. If he wanted me dead, he'd have killed me already." He eyeballed Damon, not entirely sure that his words painted an accurate picture of the situation.

"But Tyler...?" Carol shouted.

"Go inside."

"He's hurting you."

"Just do it, mom!" Tyler raised his voice.

"Okay, okay... I'll go. Damon, please don't hurt my baby!" She said and she ran indoors, undoubtedly to get Sheriff Forbes on the phone.

"Mommy dearest may have just saved your life, but I said nothing about returning you to her in one piece." Damon said. His eyes flared and in a nano-second he was in front of Tyler and he snapped his wrist. The boy cried out.

"What did you do to Elena?" Damon asked him again, slowly this time just to be sure he got the message.

"I told you already." Tyler cried out. "She was compelled. She came here, she, she..."

"'_She __she__'_, she what?" Damon mocked.

"She came on to me." Tyler yelled. Damon grabbed the fingers of the boy's uninjured hand and broke three of them at once. Tyler screamed.

"You expect me to believe that? You raped her!" Damon yelled back.

"No! No, I would never hurt her." Damon grabbed Tyler roughly by the throat and dragged him back to the edge of the roof.

"Promise or no promise, you're going to die for what you did to her."

"Go ahead Damon, you fucking psychopath. If that's what it takes, then kill me. But I am telling you the truth! I didn't rape her. She came here saying she wanted to talk. We went to the old summerhouse, we drank a little and she kissed me." Damon snarled.

"No, you attacked her. And when she told you to get lost, you raped her."

"No. She wanted more. I told her we should take it slow, but she said we were both adults and that she wanted to take it further. We, we made love, but when it was over she started screaming that she didn't remember how she got there or anything. She was so scared, Damon. It was obvious she'd been compelled." Tyler paused, then he shouted, "Damon, you are dangling me off a fucking roof, I'm _not_ lying to you!" He shouted. Damon shook the boy like he was a doll. Tyler stumbled, one of the tiles fell to the ground and smashed as he scrabbled to find purchase. If Damon didn't pull him back soon, he would strangle to death under his own weight.

Damon made a decision. He yanked Tyler back onto the roof and threw him down so heavily that he broke a few more tiles. Tyler gripped his broken wrist and watched as the fingers of his other hand repaired themselves, changing from their forty-five degree angle back to normal. He may not have had not enough strength to protect himself from this deranged vampire, but at least he healed fast when it was this close to a full moon.

Damon turned his back to the werewolf and rested his hands on his hips. Suddenly he spoke, "She said you were tricked."

"I told you. Somebody compelled her. I didn't know that until it was too late."

Damon turned to look at him, "Did you know that she and I are together?"

Tyler raised an eyebrow. "No! Of course not. I'm not suicidal. I wouldn't have gone anywhere near her if I had known that, no matter what she said or did. All she said was that she and Stefan had broken up. She came to _me_, Damon. I wasn't looking for trouble."

Tyler nursed his wrist as the bones painfully knitted themselves back together. The bruises on his neck and back began to disappear. Soon it would be as though nothing had happened, short of the mess on his mother's rooftop and his broken door and window.

"Whoever did it, knew I would try to kill you." Damon said. He cursed. "Damn, I hate being played."

"But why? Why would anyone want me dead? Who would do that?"

"Because it would upset Elena. You could have bitten me and I would be dead. Either way, it would have left Elena devastated. Somebody wants Elena upset and the people who can protect her angry at her. That's what this is all about. Elena..." He said, almost drifting off into his own private reverie.

"You've lost me Damon."

Damon ignored the comment, but offered Tyler his hand. "Get up, dog." The boy looked at him warily. "Undoubtedly your mother has called the calvary, so I best make a timely exit before the wooden bullets start to fly."

Tyler ignored the vampire's offered hand and got up of his own accord. He brushed the bits of roof tile off his pants.

"If it had been a full moon, Salvatore..." He said sulkily.

"Yeah, yeah." Damon said, brushing off the threat with a wave his hand, "You'd have been the big, bad wolf, and I'd have had to huff and puff and blow your house down." Tyler snarled his response. "Look, we don't have time for a pissing contest." Damon continued, "I need you to come to the boarding house tomorrow morning. Bring your mother and Sheriff Lockwood, I am sure they would like a word with me anyway after tonight."

"Why?" Tyler looked at him skeptically.

"Just do it Lockwood, before I choose to remember that you slept with my fiancé."

Tyler blushed and looked at his feet and when he looked up, Damon was gone.

* * *

><p>"Care?"<p>

"Oh thank God, I thought you were never going to pick up your phone."

"Care, can you come over?"

"Where are you? The boarding house?"

"No, my house."

"Stay there. I'll be ten minutes."

Elena opened the door and Caroline looked at her startled. Before she could say anything, Elena fell into her arms and pulled her into a bear hug. Caroline bit her lip guiltily as she held Elena close. It was clear the girl knew nothing of what had happened between her and Stefan. She would have to break it to her.

"Let's go sit down." Care said entering the house. They settled on the couch, Care quickly removing Jenna's purse and tucking it away from view. "Elena, what happened to your hair?" She said gently.

"Split ends." Elena said quietly. Caroline gave her a wan smile. Okay, so she clearly didn't want to talk about it. There was time enough for that.

"Elena, I need to apologize to you." Caroline said. "I have done so much wrong. From keeping it from you that Stefan had returned, to thinking I could cure him." She looked at her hands that she had tucked between her knees. "It's all my fault that he was able to seduce Jeremy."

"You did what you thought was best." Elena said in a quiet voice.

Care reached out and tucked an errant curl behind Elena's ear. She looked deep into her friend's sad eyes. "You've been through so much -" She said. When Elena didn't respond she took a deep breath. "I wish I wasn't the one who had to hurt you again. But I have to tell you this, because I don't want to hide the truth from you. Elena, there is something else you need to know -" Elena barely looked up, but as soon as she did, Care said what she came here to say, "I slept with Stefan." She braced herself for the slap that was sure to come. For the tears and the screaming and all the rest.

What she didn't expect was nothing. No response at all. Elena didn't even shrug.

"He got into my head. He messed with my dreams, gave me waking dreams too. I should have left, should have thrown him out, but I couldn't stop. And, and I wanted him... I'm so, so sorry." The words tumbled from Caroline's mouth.

"It doesn't matter. None of it matters any more." Elena said. She stood up and began to walk away. "I'm going to bed now. Please see yourself out." She began to climb the stairs. Care used her speed to get in front of her, and put her hands firmly on Elena's shoulders and looked into her eyes.

"Elena, did you hear me? Do you understand what I am telling you?"

"I heard you, Caroline. Stefan seduced you, like he did my brother. You know what? I don't care. It's not your fault. It's mine. I never should have gotten involved with the Salvatores. Either of them. Because everything they touch, turns to dust. And I'm done with them both. This ends today."


	14. Sleeping Alone

**I had a sudden idea which I really want to do, which also means going a little further with this story than I thought. So, ignore my previous warning. There will be more to follow.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 14: Sleeping Alone<strong>

**Present Day**

In the blood bank, Katherine slipped silently past the night security guard who was watching baseball on TV in his office. She stole the blood bags she needed and was about to leave when she caught sight of something that made her freeze on the spot. She risked exposure by lingering outside the guard room window in order to view his TV.

As she watched the news report unfold, she absentmindedly bit her fingernails again.

"_Police investigating the Kinnikie's bar fire that killed thirty-two patrons on 3rd October in Hardeeville, South Carolina, have been studying CCTV footage from the time of the incident. Investigations are now focused on finding one woman, who they believe is the only available witness to the event. As you can see, this picture captured from CCTV, clearly shows a woman in shadow walking away from the burning bar. FBI technology has allowed State police to clean up the image and reproduce this shot of her face. Channel 9 reporter, Claire Foley, is in Hardeeville, with the lead investigator on the case, Detective Sergeant Don Rafelle. Over to you Claire.'_

"Thank you, John. On the third October, this quiet South Carolina neighborhood was rocked by the sudden and deadly bar fire that took the lives of thirty-two residents of this community. Detective Rafelle, do you have any reason to believe that this tragic loss of life was the result of a deliberate act of malice?"

'Claire, it is too early to speculate, but it is true that we have not yet been able to rule arson out of our investigations.'

'Channel 9 news believes you have a potential suspect?'

'Just a person of interest at this time, Claire. We would very much like to talk to this young woman, who as you can see, was clearly in the area during the time of the incident. We urge her to come forward as she may have vital evidence that could help us solve this case.'

As they cut to another close up of her face, Katherine swallowed hard. To anyone who knew her, she was instantly recognizable; from the long flowing curls, to the small oval face and deep brown eyes, it was definitely her. The security guard flipped the TV over onto a different channel, grumbling.

She felt panic rise up in her, but she smacked it back down again. With any luck, the police would find that little goody-two-shoes Elena instead.

No. What good would that do her anyway? It would take Elena about a nano-second to come up with a half a dozen alibis. She probably would have been at glee club at the time, or something else irritatingly wholesome. What's more, Elena didn't have a few centuries worth of enemies, whereas she had a list of people who wanted to see her to suffer as long as her arm.

Suddenly Katherine smelled blood, the fresh kind, and she realized it was her own. She had bitten the skin away around her nails until they bled. She licked the blood away, thrust her hands into her jacket pockets and moved quickly away from the door.

* * *

><p>As she crossed the car-lot, Katherine felt her worry build. She really was in trouble now. The cops had 'something to go on', so they would come after her with everything they had. She wasn't looking at six months of keeping her head down, this would be more like six years. They wouldn't stop until they found her.<p>

She had only just freed herself from a thousand years of running. In the process, she had lost her friends, her family, her lovers... And suddenly she wanted so badly just to live her life. A _vampire_ life. She wanted to live free.

She cursed herself for her bad luck. When she had attacked those boys and burned their bodies against the club wall, she didn't know that she had blocked the only fire escape. How was she to know that the bar's shitty electrical system broke every penal code? She didn't realize that the main door was on an electrical lock, so when the electrics fried, it shut everyone in. She didn't know that the walls were so flammable, that the choking, acrid smoke would fill the bar so quickly that it would overpower even the strongest biker in less than two minutes. It was just sod's law.

So nobody got out. And the only thing that the people of Hardeeville had to look forward to, was a string of memorial services.

And so the police were looking for her, and looking for her hard. Shit-oh-shit.

* * *

><p>Thanks to the relentless misery of the last couple of days, Elena hadn't slept much at all. It was roughly an hour before dawn when she decided there was no value in tossing and turning and that she may as well just get up.<p>

She knew that she should eat, especially since she had barely touched food since the day she came home. Her appetite had disappeared under a cloud of worry. All she could think about was Tyler and whether Damon had hurt him or not.

She sat curled up on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate, curling her newly short hair around her fingertips. It was just about long enough to tuck behind her ear, but only just.

Her eyes were drawn to the place where Caroline had knowingly hidden Jenna's purse, and her mind wandered as she began to think of all the people she had lost. She supposed she would have to add Stefan to that list. In his own way, he felt more lost to her than the others.

And what about the other Salvatore? The one with the aquamarine eyes who had a passion for her that burned like a fire... Did she really want to lose him too?

There was a gentle knock on her front door. Looking at the clock told her it was 4:36am. The only person who would visit her at this hour would be Damon. Clearly ignoring his calls had only succeeded in bringing him to her door.

She went over and put her eye to the peephole. When she saw who it was, she hurried to unlock the deadbolts that her Aunt had installed. When the door finally opened, she flung her arms around her caller.

"_Tyler_! Oh Tyler, thank God! I was so worried about you."

"Damon said you would be."

"You spoke to him?"

"When you wouldn't answer his calls, he phoned me. Said I should speak to you, show you I wasn't dead. So I thought I'd do one better and drop by."

Her relief that Tyler's beating heart was still housed in his chest was almost secondary to her anger at Damon for going after him in the first place.

"I had a feeling you would be up - I couldn't sleep either." Tyler continued.

She invited him in and they sat down in her kitchen.

"So, that's a pretty major haircut, huh?" He said as he settled on a kitchen chair. She self-consciously tucked a fallen curl behind her ear. "I like it." He added, "Suits the shape of your face."

"Thanks." She said bashfully.

"If you don't mind me saying though, Elena, you do look a little tired. When exactly did you last eat?"

"I really don't remember." She admitted.

"Hey, that's no good." He said and jumped up. "I'm gonna make you something."

He began to open cupboard doors and hunted for miscellaneous foodstuffs, with an occasional comment such as, 'okay one tomato, I can work with that'. She smiled as she watched him work.

"Need any help?"

"Nope, you stay there and watch the master at work."

After having a little trouble lighting her stove, he cooked her a perfect omelet, with mushroom, tomato, onion and oregano. He put it in front of her with a bit of a flourish.

"This looks delicious, but its big enough for two," she said, "won't you share it with me?"

He nodded, but encouraged her to eat first and smiled when she tucked in. She returned his smile with one of her own, then leaned forward and gripped his knee.

"I was so worried about you." She said, "I tried, but I couldn't stop Damon. I would never have forgiven myself if he had hurt you."

"It's okay, I'm fine."

She nodded, and they shared a moment before she instructed him to eat. For a while they ate together in comfortable silence.

"Don't be too hard on him, Elena." Tyler said suddenly.

She felt a frown crease her face. "Be honest with me, Tyler. Did he hurt you?"

"He did what he thought he had to."

"Did he _hurt_ you?" Elena repeated insistently. She never shied away from the truth, no matter how hard it was to hear.

Tyler put down his fork and reached for her hand. With her slender fingers in his, he almost forgot what he had come here for.

"I'm strong, but the way Damon came after me when he thought I had hurt you... Boy. Even if it _had_ been a full moon, I don't think I could have touched him. I'm no fan of Damon's, Elena, believe me, but I know this for a fact, his feelings for you are real."

He felt her hand begin to tremble in his.

"Just ask anyone. It was obvious to everyone that he was into you from the very beginning. To be honest, I thought he just wanted what his brother had, you know?" She nodded grimly as if she had thought the same thing herself, many times. "I thought he didn't really care for you at all. But, I've come to realize, it's not like that."

"It doesn't change the fact that he tried to kill you." She interrupted, "It's just one thing after another with him. I'm so sick and tired of all his drama. I can't live like this, always worrying what will be the next thing will be to make him snap. He never listens to me."

Tyler shook his head.

"No, you're wrong." He brushed his thumb lightly over her the back of her fingers. "Can I tell you something?" She nodded. "Look, when you came over to my house yesterday and things started to happen between us, I couldn't believe my luck." Elena blushed, so he squeezed her hand gently, "And although I know you don't remember, I want you to know that for me at least, what happened was special. I mean, I would have liked to seen you again and taken you out on a proper date or something." He glanced at her and she was listening carefully, a slight blush on her cheeks. "I guess what I am trying to say is that I have no reason at all to recommend Damon to you, but I'm going to. Because when he was at his most dangerous and would have killed me for what he thought I had done to you, it wasn't me, or my mom, who stopped him. It was _you_. You saved my life, Elena. Even when Damon couldn't think straight, he remembered _your_ words telling him that I had been tricked too." She looked up at him with hope in her eyes. "He's different than when he first came to this town. We've all seen it. Elena, you have changed Damon Salvatore. He loves you. It's totally real."

Elena dropped Tyler's hand and turned away from him. He stood up to leave.

"Look, he wants us all to meet at the boarding house this morning at nine. Will you go?"

Elena thought back to her last unhappy night at the boarding house. She shrugged. "I don't know."

"Well, I will be. And for the record, I think you should too. I mean, don't get me wrong, I still think Damon is still a dick - but if you like him, then he can't be all bad. I guess." He added begrudgingly.

He reached out and stroked her newly short hair, smiling sadly. "Elena, you deserve to be happy. If I knew how to do that for you, I would. But he's the one that makes your heart beat faster. Don't throw that away."

* * *

><p>"Where's Elena, dog?"<p>

"Call me dog one more time, Damon, I swear to God."

"Where's Elena, _Tyler_?" The vampire said sarcastically.

"I'm not her keeper, you ass." Tyler put his hands in his pockets and strolled away from the frustrated vampire towards Sheriff Forbes, who was pulling up in a squad car with his mom. Damon came after him and stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"You did speak to her, right?" He said.

"Whatever, man. Take your hands off of me."

Damon glared at him until they were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Damon, leave Tyler alone. He's the only reason I'm here right now." Damon's face lit up when he heard Elena's voice. She walked towards him with a frown on her own.

Damon dropped his hand immediately from Tyler's shoulder and regarded the werewolf circumspectly. "Thank you." He muttered uneasily. Tyler shrugged, he looked at Elena, then walked away from them both.

Elena came towards Damon. "I'm still pissed at you."

"I'll make it up to you."

"The only way you can do that, is to start listening to me."

"I know." He leaned forwards and took her in his arms, causing the Lockwood-Forbes party to raise their eyebrows. Clearly only Tyler knew that the pair of them were together now.

Damon ignored their looks, leaned forwards and touched his nose against hers, "I don't ever want to spend another night watching twenty-four hour news on a loop, when I should be next to you. I want you. In my bed. By my side. Always."

"Then don't _make_ me leave you alone." Elena replied, with a distinct edge to her voice. He rubbed his nose against hers and then kissed her lips gently.

"When I saw you so upset with all your hair cut off, I admit, I totally lost it. I thought that Tyler had... Well, you _know_ what I thought. And I just couldn't bear of the thought of anyone hurting you like that. I saw red."

"It wasn't like that. Tyler would never hurt me and if you stopped to think for even a second, you would have known that. Of _course_ I was upset, but not because I believed he could do that to me, but because of what I had done to _you_. I knew - I mean I could _feel_ that..." She dipped her eyes fleetingly away from his intense, questioning gaze, then took a deep breath, "...well I knew that he had been inside me. I felt like I had betrayed you." Damon's face showed his pain at her words, "I was so angry with myself. I just wanted to do something, _change_ something. Everything was slipping away from me and I couldn't do anything at all. I was sick of being weak, helpless Elena - the cause of so much pain, for everyone." Damon put his hand on the back of her head and pulled her so close against his body that she could barely breathe. He rocked her gently.

"Shhh, shh now. None of this is your fault. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. But I promise you faithfully that we are going to deal with this situation once and for all. Don't you worry about that."

"It was Stefan, wasn't it?" She said.

Before he could answer, they were interrupted by a sharp cough.

"Damon, you better have a _very_ good reason for bringing me here, or so help me God, I will be pressing charges for attempted murder and criminal damage." The Mayor snarled. Sheriff Forbes shifted uncomfortably beside her. Stood to his mother's left, Tyler looked at the embracing couple with an unreadable expression.

Damon however kept his eyes on Liz; he was fairly sure that the thought of having to arrest him would not appeal to her one bit. But he also knew her well enough to know she would do it if pressed. Even if the attempt could cost her her life.

"Chill out, mom. Let's hear what he has to say, okay?"

"He's a thug, Tyler. God knows what he would have done if I hadn't stopped him."

"Tyler, I am asking you, as the victim in all this. Do _you_ want to press charges?" Sheriff Forbes looked at the boy directly.

"It's Damon," he said rolling his eyes, "once a dick, always a dick. So no, I don't want to press charges. Come on, let's go inside." He shoved passed the vampire, with a cursory glance to Elena who stood demurely by Damon's side. She knew that Tyler had defused the situation because of her. She looked from the disgruntled Mayor, to the uncertain Sheriff. They wouldn't act without Tyler's say-so. He was a good friend to her.

Even Damon seemed to realize that bridges had to be built. "I'll pay for the damage to your house and arrange for contractors to do the repairs." He offered to Mayor Lockwood.

"I should think so." She bristled. "And you will also apologize to my son. Publicly."

Damon curled his lip. "Wouldn't you rather you just stake me?" He quipped.

"Actually, I happen to agree with her." Elena added crossly. "You owe Tyler an apology. You owe him a lot more than that actually..." His blue eyes sparkled; he could fight with Carol Lockwood all he wanted, but when it came to Elena, he knew when he had been beaten.

"Of course." He told the Mayor. "Consider it done."

"I'll believe it when I see it." She responded, putting her nose in the air and leading them indoors.

* * *

><p>Inside the house it was beginning to feel crowded. All Elena's friends had turned up for the meeting that Damon had called. To even his surprise, Bonnie was also present; although she sat on the other side of the room to Jeremy and glowered at him constantly. Her hand was tucked into Caroline's. Her vampire best friend did the best she could to whisper consoling words into her ear.<p>

Despite the support, Bonnie looked teary-eyed and unhappy. Jer looked over to her with concern. Every bit of him wanted to speak to her, but he hesitated. Even Vicki leaned over his shoulder and said, "Give her time, Jer. _Lots_ of time." It sounded like good advice.

Alaric took his familiar position at the back of the room, leaning against a coffee table with his arms folded across chest. His eyes narrowed with surprise when Tyler, the Mayor and the Sheriff walked in and took seats on the couch.

On entering the room, Liz glanced at her daughter and gave her a quick smile. Caroline looked puzzled by her presence. "What's going on, Damon?" She asked as Damon lead Elena in by the hand and encouraged her to take a seat somewhere in the middle of them all. Finally Matt hurried into the room and closed the door behind him.

"Sorry I'm late." Matt muttered. He chose a spot on the floor next to Jeremy, unwittingly choosing to sit beside his dead sister's ghost. Vicki's hand passed through Matt as she reached out to him. Jer gave her a sad smile.

"Thank you all for coming." Damon began, bringing the room to order, "I asked you all here today because I have something to tell you."

"This better not take long." The Mayor said looking at her watch.

"Just listen, mom." Tyler said under his breath. She pressed her lips together primly and returned her eyes to Damon.

"We are all here because of something Stefan has done," Damon continued, his eyes looked to the Mayor as he said, "whether we know it or not." She looked intrigued. "For one, Stefan is the reason I attacked Tyler last night." The room erupted into protests of anger. Damon held up his hands for calm. "- And for which, I offer my sincerest apology. Tyler, you know I had my reasons, but I am happy to admit that I was wrong. I hope you can forgive me and accept my word that it will never happen again." Damon stepped forwards and offered his hand to the scowling werewolf.

You could have heard a pin drop. Everyone wanted to know what Tyler's reaction would be. For a moment, it looked as though he would refuse to take Damon's offered hand. But eventually, at the point when it was about to be taken away, he shook it.

Damon glanced at the Mayor, who seemed to be as pleased as she would ever be. His eyes flicked to Elena, who gave him the smallest of smiles. He felt encouraged.

"Stefan has done so much damage to everyone here." He took a beat before he could say what he came here to tell them. "And it's time it stopped. So I am calling a time-out." Bonnie raised her eyebrows. Alaric looked from Caroline to Jeremy, then back to Damon. "I brought you here to tell you something. Something important. I have asked Elena to marry me."

There was shock. Only Tyler and Liz remained quiet. Alaric began to laugh, until he realized it wasn't a joke.

"I love her and I _hope_ that she still loves me." Damon said over the noise, a nervous smile on his face.

"Elena, have you taken leave of your senses?" Bonnie said wide-eyed.

Alaric added, "Are you both sure about this?"

"Wow," Matt said, his jaw dropping, "I can honestly say, I did not see that coming."

Tyler sulked in silence. Jer merely looked closely at his sister for her reaction, but she was playing her cards close to her chest. Her face remained neutral. The room grew quiet and they waited for for her to speak.

"It's simple. I love him." She said. Damon smiled at her, with more than just a little relief in his eyes. She mirrored his smile.

"I know I haven't been the easiest resident of this town to live with." Damon continued.

"You can say _that_ again." Liz grumbled. Caroline smiled.

"But I have come to think of you all as something I thought I would never have again," he looked at them all, "my friends."

"You sure have a funny way of showing it." Matt muttered.

"I guess I deserve that." Damon nodded. "But I want you to know, that is going to change. Right here, right now." He got up, went over to Elena and took her hand. She got to her feet. He could feel her tremble. "Elena has shown me time and time again that she would do anything for any one of you, and I would do anything for her. You're her family, so you are my family too now. And I protect my family, fiercely."

The room went quiet as he held Elena's gaze.

"Just as Elena can forgive me for the things I have done, I know that you can forgive each other too." His eyes scanned the room pointedly. "My brother and I are from one of the founding families. I don't know when we forgot that, but we did. And for that I am sorry, on behalf of both of us. But what is broken, can be fixed. My fiancé has proved that to me." He kissed her lightly on the cheek, then let her hand go and walked back to his perch next to Liz. A slightly overcome Elena sat down again, blushing heavily. "I want to show Stefan that his behavior cannot hurt us." Damon continued from his seat next to the Sheriff. "That's why in forty-eight hours, this town is going to have the best wedding it has ever seen. That is, so long as my future wife consents -"

Elena's mouth dropped open. Every eye was on her waiting for her reaction.

"Damon, I admire the sentiment, but you can't possibly think that you can get married in two days!" Carol exclaimed, breaking the tension.

"We'll never be able to find a dress in that time!" Caroline added.

"Or get a license." Liz added.

"Mayor Lockwood, if there is one thing I have no doubt in my mind about, is that if anyone can get things done in this town it's you."

"Well, I suppose..."

"Mom, you are _so_ gonna be able to pull that off." Tyler sighed.

"But even if I sort a license, and you can even find a minister, where on earth will you find a venue at such short notice?" Carol added.

"Well, I _had_ hoped..." Damon began.

Tyler rolled his eyes. "Oh you have to be kidding me." The Mayor looked blankly at her son, so he explained it to her, "Mom, he wants it at our house." She spun her head back towards Damon.

"We could do it here," Damon said indicating the boarding house, "but you are so adept at throwing parties, Carol, I bet you have caterers on speed-dial."

"Well, I guess that I do," she said, both flattered and flustered, "it's just that I..."

"Thank you, Mayor. You are such an amazing woman. As I have _often_ said." Damon finished.

"What about the state of my roof?" She thought aloud suddenly.

"Well, I am sure Caroline will help you organize a wedding so wonderful on the ground, that no-one will think to look up."

Caroline squealed and clapped her hands excitedly. "I will not let you down!" She said, running to Damon and hugging him, before running to Elena and hugging her.

"Jer, I hope you will give your sister away." Damon added.

Jer looked at Elena, and gave her his sweet, sideways smile. "Yeah, sure. I guess I could do that. If she wants me to." He said, the question in his voice not missed by anyone. Elena was yet to say what she thought of Damon's plan.

"Ric, will you be my best man?" Damon continued.

"Well I guess someone has to make sure you make it back from the bachelor party." Ric smiled.

"Bonnie, Caroline - Bridesmaids obviously." They smiled and nodded. Bonnie followed Caroline by going over to hug her best friend. Elena squeezed her tight.

"Matt, Tyler, will you be groomsmen?" They both nodded, although their reaction was a little less enthusiastic than the girls.

"Elena?" Damon said somewhat anxiously. "Will you do it?" The room went quiet, whilst everyone waited for her reaction.

"Of course I will." She said. The room broke into applause and laughter, and people began to congratulate them both. Damon's back was patted a dozen times, whilst Elena had the breath squeezed out of her.

"Oh my God, why are we still sitting around talking about this?" Caroline exclaimed. "I have like a million and one things to do!"

There was much laughter at that. Elena smiled at Damon. His idea to bring her friends back together was already working, and she loved him for it. As the room began to clear, she walked over and took both his hands in hers.

"When I marry you," Damon said seriously, "I want it to be perfect."

"It already is." She replied and she reached up to kiss him.

* * *

><p>Outside the boarding house, the driveway began to clear of cars. The Mayor was on the phone already as she walked towards the squad car. Her driver, Liz, lagged behind deliberately so she could catch up with Damon. He wanted to speak with her too, so he jogged over and caught her up.<p>

"I assume Stefan could hear all that?" Liz asked him.

"That was the general idea." He replied. She looked at him suspiciously.

"So," she said, "everyone has a job to do at your wedding, except me."

He took her arm and pulled her further away from the house. He lowered his voice. "On the contrary, Liz. Yours is the most important job of all."

* * *

><p>When everyone had gone, Damon turned to re-enter the house. Elena was stood in the doorway.<p>

"Something's troubling you." She said.

"Come take a walk with me." He asked. She nodded, and they strolled together away from the house towards the forest. He waited until they were quite a distance. "I want to ask your advice."

She smiled. "You do? Okay. I'm listening. What's up?"

* * *

><p>Matt shifted uncomfortably and ran his finger under his collar.<p>

"Stop fidgeting, Matt. Anyone would think you'd never worn a suit before." Bonnie said to him.

"I hate ties." He said, fiddling some more. Bonnie got up from the love seat in the Lockwood's conservatory and went over to him. She undid his tie and did it back up again in a perfect Windsor knot that sat much better on him. She slipped a single white rose out of her bouquet, broke the stem short and tucked the flower into his lapel. He looked down at her and smiled.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

The door opened and Tyler leaned in. "Hey guys, people are starting to arrive. Matt, you wanna give me a hand here?"

"Sure, wait up." Matt walked outside, and was struck again by the magnificent set-up that Caroline and Carol Lockwood had managed to arrange in the Lockwood's garden in no time at all.

Damon had told them to limit guests to about fifty people, but more were turning up anyway.

The bride was busy being dressed by Caroline. Her short hair had been tidied, and was pinned up neatly with pearl headed pins. She was shaking.

"I can't believe this is happening!" She said. Caroline stopped fussing around her hemline, and hugged her. They both squealed excitedly.

Bonnie slipped into the room and immediately went and joined the group hug. "You look beautiful, babe." She said.

"Okay, enough, we're going to make her cry and her mascara will run." Caroline said, brushing back her own tears. She reached for the veil and arranged it carefully.

There was a gentle knock on the door which made them all turn towards it.

"Unless you're Damon, you can come in." Caroline called out cheerfully. Jeremy opened the door a crack, with his hand over his eyes.

"You all decent?" He asked.

Caroline sighed. "Yes."

Jer removed his hand and his eyebrows shot up as he took his sister in.

"Wow, sis. You look amazing. Really beautiful."

"You don't need to sound so surprised." She said. Caroline clapped excitedly, because she couldn't help herself.

"And you look great too ladies. That color looks pretty on you, Bonnie." He said carefully.

"Thanks." She said almost sourly.

"Are you ready to go?" Caroline said brightly, attempting to change the mood before it became any more awkward.

"Ready as I'll ever be!" The bride replied.

Jer went over and offered her his arm. She took it and he smiled at her. "Let's go." He said. "Your groom awaits."


	15. Lace

**Crikey, here's another long chapter! But I think it would have been annoying to split this chapter into two. I hope you agree.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 15: Lace<strong>

**Present Day**

The garden looked beautiful. Caroline had created a peaceful arbor using shaded white fairy lights strung across poles to mark out the area for guests. Fifty folding chairs were divided into two groups creating a single long aisle. The chairs had been decorated with organza bows holding a single white rose each, which helped disguise the fact that there was barely a matching pair among them. At the end of the aisle was a gazebo decorated with flowers, created as a tranquil oasis in front of which Damon and Elena would say their vows.

In the shade of that gazebo, their minister waited. He cleared his throat, took out a handkerchief and mopped his brow and looked twice as nervous as the groom in front of him.

Damon stood beside Ric, and joked about his best-man's 'off-the-peg' suit, pointedly remarking that his was own came from Saville Row. Alaric took the ribbing with his usual good nature. And besides, he was able to get his own back when Damon's cell phone rang. The groom took the call, spoke for about two minutes and then hung up.

"Come on, hand it over." Ric said, putting out his hand for the phone. "You want the bride to catch your girlfriend calling?"

"I'm switching it off. See?"

Damon slipped it into his back pocket. He popped the cuffs of his slim-cut, navy wool suit, which he had decided to wear with a crisp white shirt and no tie. With the exception of his plain, white-gold cuff-links and the white rose in his buttonhole, he was otherwise unadorned. 'Stylishly simple' was what Caroline had instructed him to go for. He didn't dare do otherwise.

She was right too; he looked devastatingly handsome and admirers in the crowd were jealously wondering what Elena Gilbert had that they didn't. They also noticed his best-man, who looked equally striking in dark grey suit, white shirt and white rose.

Ric leaned into his friend's shoulder and whispered, "You're doing the right thing."

"I know." The vampire smiled.

With his hands clasped gently in front of him, Damon's eyes scanned the guests until they fell upon Liz, who was seated in the front row where the family of the bride ought to have been. She looked at him and nodded once, her hazel eyes seeming to communicate something to him. His gaze continued to track back to the house and he watched with eager anticipation the moment when his bride would exit the building. She was clearly enjoying making him wait.

When she finally came out on Jeremy's arm, the guests whispered their appreciation. She wore a stunning, diamond-white, silk organza dress, with a strapless bodice that nipped her in at the waist. It overlaid a fulsome skirt with a train that was at least eight feet long and spilled out behind her. She wore a long, lace veil, that was pinned to her hair with an antique diamond and sapphire clasp that Carol had loaned her. The veil was almost as long as the train. In her hands, she also carried white roses. She looked icily beautiful, and the guests couldn't help but take photos.

Behind her, Caroline and Bonnie wore different prom dresses, Caroline's was blue, Bonnie's pink. They also carried white rose bouquets. They smiled as they walked carefully behind the bride's train.

Jer's pride at walking his sister down the aisle was obvious for anyone to see. When he gave his sister to the groom, he stepped back and stood near Liz, with whom he exchanged a smile.

As the minister waited for people to settle and cleared his throat again, Damon leaned forwards to his bride and whispered in her ear.

"You look perfect."

She smiled, turned and gave her bouquet to Bonnie, who stood back next to Caroline and Jer. Damon turned his attention to the minister.

"P-Please be seated." He stuttered nervously. "W-we are gathered here today for this happy union of, er, Damon Salatore..."

"_Salvatore_." Damon corrected him under his breath.

"D-Damon Salvatore, and Elena Gilbert. If there is any person here present, who knows any reason why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, please speak now, or f-forever hold your peace."

"I object!" A voice shouted. The guests sounded their collective shock. The same voice spoke again and everyone looked every-which-way to see where it was coming from. "I said I object!" It repeated. In a flash, Klaus and Stefan appeared from behind the Lockwood house and moved at vampire speed to grab both the bride and groom.

After that, everything happened very fast.

On seeing supernatural creatures amongst their midst, the crowd scattered, screaming. Carol quickly tried to gather them up and usher them into the safety of the house.

Damon was simultaneously yanked off his feet by Stefan, who dragged him away from his bride. She reached out to him, but found herself gripped firmly around her neck by Klaus - her veil pulled taut over her panicked face. Jer tried to reach her, but he found himself unceremoniously shoved by Klaus into the few remaining guests. This made the bride scream, and the guests ran, leaving Liz to pull Jer to his feet.

"Hello, Elena. Sorry to interrupt your tacky white wedding, but frankly it was making me feel nauseous. I felt it was only right that something had to be done." Klaus said into her ear.

"Don't hurt Damon!" She begged. When she got nothing but a low throated laugh, she called across to Stefan. "Please, Stefan, if I ever meant anything to you, then let him go. I beg you!"

"Oh, don't you worry about Damon, petal. He's not really our concern, is he Stefan?" Klaus said.

Stefan pulled even tighter on the throat of his struggling brother. They both knew that Stefan was currently the strongest of them both. Damon had been feeding off animals for a month, whereas Stefan had binged on human blood for days before they had tried to detox him. He had his brother in a head-lock and despite Damon's resistance, he would not get free unless Stefan wanted him to.

Caroline flung herself at Klaus, with her teeth bared, but he simply put a hand out and pushed her violently away. She crashed heavily into a row of chairs, falling at her mother's feet. Liz and Jer both picked her up. Bonnie glared at Klaus and was about to attempt her aneurism spell on him when Liz put a cautious hand on her arm and hissed to her, "Don't do anything stupid. He'll kill you."

"Yes, listen to the Sheriff and be good little children." Klaus teased, moving his captive around so he could face Alaric. "And how about you, teacher? Fancy taking a pot-shot? But which one to save, eh? Hmm, pity you can't be in two places at once." Ric looked from the bride struggling in Klaus' arms, to the groom in Stefan's. Another awful Sophie's choice.

"Don't do this, Klaus." He said. "These are good people."

"Ha! Good people? Good people like _you_, you mean? A man who kept a vampire chained up and starved him?"

"Nobody has to get hurt here," Ric said carefully, "why don't you just take Stefan, and leave. No-one will stop you."

"Oh you'd like that, wouldn't you? For us to leave and never bother you again. The thing is, we haven't got what we came here for yet." Klaus touched the cheek of the struggling bride with the back of his fingers. "Why, what's this? I think my eyes must be deceiving me; this can't possible be my doppelgänger, because she's already dead. Or _isn__'__t_ she? Maybe it's a miracle, because she doesn't look all that dead to me."

"Take your hands _off_ of me!" The bride in his arms responded angrily.

"Feisty too!" Klaus smiled and tightened his grip, "But as it happens, your lies and deception may have done me a favor after all. Turns out the witch who told me to kill Elena, was also a lying deceptive little bitch. You see, I can't make hybrids unless I have the doppelgänger's blood, so I'll be borrowing her now if it's all the same to you. Besides," he smirked, "Stefan there is lonely. He wants someone to play with. Isn't that right, Stefan?"

"What made you think that I would let you take her?" Stefan whispered into his brother's ear. "I'd rather let Klaus have her than you."

"Stefan, you're insane if you think I am going to let you get away with this." Damon said croakily as Stefan continued to use his arm to choke him. "I'm giving you one last chance to get out of here."

Stefan looked at Klaus with amusement. "Hear that? He's giving me 'once last chance'."

Klaus smirked. "I don't think he's in any position to dictate terms, do you?" Stefan shook his head.

"Well I'm sorry to ruin your special day, Damon," the hybrid continued, "but when Stefan here escaped captivity and came and told me all about your little wedding, I knew I had to drop by and send my regards. Oh yes, and steal the bride. So I think we'll be leaving now. Thanks for keeping her alive for me."

"Don't let him take me, Damon!" She cried out.

"Elena's not leaving here with you!" Damon said firmly.

Klaus raised an eyebrow. "Oh yes? And who's going to stop me? You?" He said laughing.

"NOW!" Damon shouted.

The 'minister' suddenly dropped his prayer book and pulled out a pistol; he shot two wooden bullets straight into Stefan's shoulder with unswerving accuracy. Stefan stumbled backwards and loosened his grip on Damon for just a moment, but it was long enough. Damon tossed him aside and ran towards his bride.

Liz shot her own gun. Her bullet found its way into Klaus' shoulder. He also stumbled back, letting go of his captive. Liz fired several more shots into him - they would do no real damage, but they would keep him away from the bride for the split second it would take Damon to reach her.

Stefan roared his anger. He tried to run after Damon, but Bonnie cast her aneurism spell immediately and he fell to his knees clutching his head in screaming agony. Alaric swung a chair at him and hit him hard in the face. Matt and Tyler leapt on him and pinned him to the ground. When he tossed Matt easily aside, Tyler bit him hard on the shoulder.

It all happened in less than a micro-second, but Klaus was prepared for resistance. He ignored the bullets riddling his body and readied himself for Damon's attack.

Only Damon didn't attack him.

"I love you, Elena!" He said as he reached for his bride.

"I love you too!" She replied.

Damon got to her side, put his hands on either side of her head and firmly snapped her neck.

* * *

><p>Hardeeville police station was not used to suspects walking in off the street. And it most certainly was not used to them waiting patiently for the clerk behind the desk to look up, before politely saying, "Hi. I believe you are looking for me."<p>

The clerk's eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw who it was. She shouted over her shoulder.

"Don! Come quick. You are _not_ gonna _believe_ who has just walked in."

* * *

><p>They questioned her for six hours straight. Back and forth, the same questions time and time again. She told them everything as patiently the twentieth time as she had the first.<p>

She was grieving the loss of her Aunt, and had a row with her fiancé.

She had stolen her fiancé's bike without asking, and was going to ride to New York.

She got as far as the border of South Carolina, where she slept with the motel manager.

She felt guilty, changed her mind about the whole trip and the next day, decided to turn back.

She ended up back at the motel and got drunk in her room on stolen vodka.

She went to the bar, but it was already burning when she arrived.

She was drunk and panicked when she saw the flames.

She didn't call it in because she was afraid her fiancé would find out that she had slept with the motel manager.

She returned the bike to her fiancé and had made up with him.

When she saw on the news they had identified her, she had to come and clear her name.

They tried to confuse her, to get her to deviate from her story - but she looked them in the eyes and gave them the facts straight.

* * *

><p>Inspector Sergeant Don Rafelle stood outside the interrogation room and leaned his hands against the one-way glass, leaving smeary fingerprints on the window pane. He was frustrated.<p>

"What do you think?" His deputy said.

"She's a five-foot five schoolgirl who weighs ninety pounds, if that. Do I think she's lying about something? Yes. Do I think she's an arsonist who killed thirty-two bikers by locking them in a bar and keeping them there? What do you think..." He shook his head ruefully.

The deputy clapped him on the back with an apologetic smile. "What do you want to do, sir? You want me leave her in a cell overnight? See if that will shake anything loose?"

"Nope. Wouldn't achieve anything. We can't rattle her, so let's check out her story. Get on to the liquor store she says she stole the vodka from; get a statement from whoever was working that night, CCTV footage - whatever they've got. Speak to the motel cleaner; does she remember an empty vodka bottle in that room? Were there any drugs? Etcetera, etcetera."

Don looked again into the room. The girl sat there patiently, her hands in her lap waiting for them to return. She look around her with curiosity, as if the whole ordeal was one big field trip. She was as calm as a Hindu cow. Too calm.

"Dammit. Just look at her." He said. "Even if we could prove that she wasn't drunk and that she started the damn fire herself, there isn't a jury in the land who would convict that girl."

"Sure, she's a sweet looking one." His deputy agreed. "Want me to pull in the motel guy to ID her?"

"Yes. Organize a line-up. But do it tonight, I don't want this to drag on."

The Detective strolled out of the station knowing he could not win this one. He shouted back to his junior. "I'm going to get a burrito. Call me when the motel manager gets here."

* * *

><p>"Yeah, that's her. Number six."<p>

"You sure, sir?"

"She left teeth marks in my neck, so yeah, I remember her. Her attitude sucks, but then so does she, if you get what I mean." The motel manager smirked at both the duty sergeant and Rafelle's deputy, who both grinned back. Rafelle looked disgusted with them all.

Teeth marks? He thought, looking the manager up and down. The guy had to be at least six foot two and was heavily muscular. Nothing about this girl added up, but every part of her alibi damn well checked out. He'd even called the fiancé himself who backed up his part of her story.

"Whatever, dude. She's an animal. Take it from me." The motel manager winked one of his grey-blue eyes conspiratorially at the more appreciative section of his audience, and the two junior cops stifled grins.

"See Mr Howard out please." The Inspector instructed his deputy frostily, "I'm sure he'd like to get on with his busy day."

The Deputy put his hand on the motel manager's arm and escorted him from the line-up room.

"Back to square one eh, boss?" The duty sergeant said when they were left alone.

Don Rafelle lowered his head. "Apparently so." He began to walk out of the room.

"Hey, what do you want me to do with the girl?" The duty sergeant called after him.

"Let her go, Frank. Let her go."

* * *

><p>Caroline's screams pierced the air. Her mom tried to comfort her, and Bonnie too. With both girls sobbing in Liz's arms she stared at Damon with shock and disbelief.<p>

Klaus roared. He glared at Damon with fury in his eyes.

Damon stood numb and waited for whatever punishment would be dished out to him by the hybrid, but was surprised when Jeremy got to him first.

Jer flung himself at Damon and began shaking him violently. Damon ignored his cries of "Why? Why?" until the boy eventually fell to his knees, buried his face in his hands and sobbed.

Klaus in turn grabbed Damon by his lapels and held him tight, his nose just millimeters from Damon's face.

Stefan ran to the lifeless body, ignoring his blackening shoulder. He knelt down and cradled her in his arms. Jer tried to push him away, but he was an immovable force.

"Is it actually her?" Klaus growled at Stefan impatiently, even though his eyes never left Damon.

Stefan pulled the veil away. In death, she seemed like a porcelain doll; fragile and delicate, almost weightless in his arms. He smoothed her hair from her face and as he did so, a pearl-headed hairpin fell into his hand, causing a short curl to spring loose. He felt the stubby, silken hair between his fingertips. He nodded sadly.

"I heard her tell Damon after the others left that she hoped they would be able to do something with her short hair. It's her." He said, his voice cracking. Suddenly Stefan was overcome with emotion. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and began to cry.

Alaric helped Tyler to his feet and they watched uneasily from a distance. Tyler clicked his dislocated shoulder back into place. He looked over to where his mother stood inside the conservatory, trying to calm frightened guests. She stared through a window pain; her pale, worried, face framed against the darkness. The sounds of hysterical sobbing drifted across the lawn, so far removed from the happy sounds only minutes earlier.

"You didn't get what you came for, Klaus." Matt suddenly shouted angrily. "So why don't you just get the hell out of here and leave us all alone?"

Klaus spoke to the vampire in his grip.

"You killed my doppelgänger."

"Go fuck yourself." Damon said.

Klaus threw him so hard and so fast, that Damon's body flew sixty feet in the air before his back smacked hard against the top of the fir tree. He crumpled like a broken toy and tumbled to the ground, where he fell on his face.

Nobody went to help him.

"Come on, Stefan. Let's get out of here." Klaus grumbled. He began to walk away back down the destroyed aisle, covered in scattered chairs, trampled roses and torn ribbons. When Stefan didn't immediately follow he turned back and bellowed at him. "I SAID WE ARE LEAVING!" Stefan still wouldn't leave the body, so Klaus tried a new tack. In a low threatening voice he said, "I promised not to stake your brother, Stefan, but if we don't leave now, I may be forced to go back on that."

Stefan leaned over the body in his arms and kissed the cold lips, he covered her face with the veil and placed her carefully down onto the ground. He glanced at Jeremy, who met his pained expression with tear filled eyes.

Stefan got up and followed Klaus out of the garden.

* * *

><p>She was exhausted and shaking, but relieved that she was free. Everything had gone according to plan. The police had checked out her story thoroughly, even calling her 'annoyed fiancé'. Every element had added up, and eventually she had been released. She had played her part well. So why did she have no missed calls on her phone?<p>

* * *

><p>Damon came round slowly. He couldn't feel his legs, which was a good thing because he could see a bone sticking out of his left ankle. He could feel that his back was broken and knew that if he were human, he would be paralyzed from the waist down.<p>

He waited as his body repaired itself, he could hear the crying from over at the house and the garden. He had to get better fast. He had to get over there. Explain things.

His phone had fallen just out of his reach. He could see the facia was cracked and the battery had come out. He had to get to it - see if it still worked.

He tried to drag himself forwards a couple of inches, the pine needle mulch scraping at his hands, but the pain of the healing back was too much. He screamed as his ankle bone suddenly righted itself with a click. His phone was almost within reach. He lay flat on his stomach and extended his fingertips and got the battery. The phone was tantalizingly just beyond. He saw a stick beside him, and prodded at the cell until he had pulled it to him. He ignored the agonizing pain of movement as his muscles re-knitted to his spine, and he quickly reassembled his phone.

"Come on, come on." He muttered as it powered up. When it finally switched on, he could have kissed it. He hit speed dial, and she answered almost immediately.

"Elena!"

"Damon! Thank God, I was so worried that I hadn't heard from you."

"How did it go?"

"The cops believed me. You? Is everyone okay?"

"Everyone's fine. Elena, I think it worked. I think we did it. Klaus and Stefan left." The phone went quiet. "Elena? Are you still there?"

"I'm here, Damon. I'm just so relieved. Have you explained what's going on to everyone yet?"

"No, I've been kind of held up." He winced as a particularly painful vertebrae righted itself. "But I'm on it."

"I'm on my way home to you." She said. "I don't want to stay in this town another minute. If I ever even hear the name Hardeeville again, I swear I'm gonna scream."

"Elena?"

"Yes?"

He wanted to say 'I miss you', or 'today has been the hardest day of my life', but he simply said, "Hurry."

"Believe me, I will."

She hung up and Damon got unsteadily to his feet, even though his muscles ached and his body told him he should stay on the ground for the rest of the day. He had to reach them, tell them what had happened before his 'bride' did.

* * *

><p>Damon walked slowly over to the garden, noting that Alaric had used his jacket to cover the body. The teacher was doing his best to comfort Jeremy, who had not moved from his lonely vigil at what he thought was his sister's side. As soon as Damon walked towards them, Liz let go of her weeping daughter and went to his side.<p>

"Damon, you have some explaining to do." She hissed at him. He nodded solemnly, then found himself knocked backwards off his feet. Caroline landed on top of him and looked ready to rip him apart. Tyler joined her, his wolf eyes blazing and his teeth bared.

"How could you do it?" Caroline said, her own eyes burning bright and teeth extended.

"She's not dead!" Damon managed to get out before Tyler bit him. "It's Katherine! Not Elena! She's not dead!"

Tyler exchanged glances with Caroline. "What are you talking about?" Tyler said, his normal eyes returning in his confusion. Just at that moment, the body beneath the jacket began to twitch. Alaric stepped back in alarm and Jer opened his eyes wide.

"Let me get up and I'll explain everything." Damon said to Caroline. She let go reluctantly and he looked at Tyler, who backed off enough to let him get to his feet.

Bonnie shrieked as the body beneath the jacket flung it aside and sat upright slowly, rubbing it's neck as it repaired itself.

"Dammit Damon," Katherine said, "you made me break a nail." She got up, trying not to trip on her ruined dress.

Jer stumbled to his own feet. "What the _fuck_ is going on here?" He said. Damon walked towards him with Tyler and Caroline following.

"Katherine?" Bonnie said. "But I was so sure..." She looked confused and hurt all at once.

"Don't fret yourself sweet-cheeks. It's not so hard to play a bride on her wedding day." Katherine shrugged. "It's all silly girly shrieking and _oh __my __God, __I __just __love __you __guys __so __much_!" She mocked.

"Damon, tell me what is going on _right __now_." Jer said, wiping away his tears.

"I knew Klaus had planted Stefan in the house, and I knew he wanted Elena alive." Damon said.

"But how did you know? Klaus thought she was dead." Jer said, as utterly confused as everyone else felt.

"He's an Original, Jer. How long do you think it took him to get the information out of Stefan that Elena was still alive? So, if he knew she was alive but he _wanted_ her dead, all he had to do was compel Stefan to kill her. But he didn't. He compelled Stefan to do something much worse instead. He made Stefan divide us, and leave Elena vulnerable and unprotected by the people who loved her. He wanted to get her on her own, alive."

Damon paused to roll his shoulders as his muscles continued to knit together. Katherine righted a chair and sat down with her legs crossed. She removed her veil with disgust and tossed it aside - but not before removing the antique clasp and tucking it in her bodice.

"I suspected that if we presented him with an ideal opportunity to get Elena, then Klaus would take it; but I had to control the time when he would make his play. I knew if I let everyone drift apart like he wanted, I never would have been able to do that. A wedding was the only thing that I could think of that would bring you all together and prove irresistible to him. I knew he would never be able to miss the opportunity to both make an entrance and humiliate me." He said bitterly.

"But how did you know he would find out about the wedding?" Alaric said. "Hell of a risk to take, surely?"

Damon shook his head.

"No. I knew Stefan had to be a plant. So much of what you said didn't add up. His memory loss, and that stuff about him turning up in his own blood. We heal so fast. Only an Original could be behind both of those things. When Stefan was a Ripper before, he didn't act like you said. It wasn't about being manipulative and getting into people's heads for the purpose of having sex with them, it was about the kill. That's when I knew that it all had to be about Elena - because Stefan chose the people closest to her to mess with. So Klaus had put Stefan in the house. All I had to do was to let Stefan hear our plan to get married, so I knew it would get back to Klaus."

"That's why you had the meeting at the boarding house. So he would hear all the details." Liz said. Damon nodded.

"But you still haven't told us how you knew Stefan would reach Klaus with news of the wedding?" Bonnie said. "We had him tied up and under twenty-four hour watch."

"As soon as I saw you had tied him to the bedposts, I knew he could have escaped any time he wanted to. Yes, the chains were strong, but the bedposts he could snap at any time he wanted to. Which meant he _didn__'__t_ want to, because he had a job to do. He was compelled not to leave until he did it."

"So Klaus compelled Stefan to stay put until he saw the best time to snatch Elena. Then he was to free himself, and go and let him know." Ric swore as he saw the logic of Damon's words.

"Gold star for teacher." Katherine quipped.

"But even Klaus couldn't have anticipated Stefan's genuine reaction when he found out that Elena and I were seeing each other. I don't know how Stefan found it out, but his plan for me to kill Tyler, or for Tyler to kill me, would have succeeded either way for Klaus. He still would have done his job by making Elena even more vulnerable with either one of us dead." Damon added.

"All this to get her blood to make hybrids?" Matt said, "Hell," he ran his fingers through his hair, "he must want them pretty badly." Damon nodded his agreement.

"So you thought the only way to stop Klaus getting what he wanted, was to make him think Elena was really dead?" Ric asked.

"Actually, that was Elena's idea." Damon said. Everyone looked shocked.

"I told her I what I suspected was Klaus' plan, and what I intended to do with the wedding to set up the opportunity to take him down, but I couldn't think of a way to kill him. She told me I had to take away the one thing he wanted most. Herself. And then he would leave of his own accord."

"But he had to believe it was real." Bonnie concluded. "That's why you didn't tell any of us your plan, because you had to keep it from us, or Stefan would have spotted something was up."

Damon nodded.

"The one thing I don't get is why _you_ agreed to help?" Alaric said to Katherine. "What do you get out of it?"

"Klaus leaving this town alone guarantees me a quiet life too." Katherine said, picking disinterestedly at her broken fingernail.

"I don't buy it." Ric said, folding his arms suspiciously.

"We made a deal." Damon said truthfully, ignore Katherine's glare. "Katherine here had got herself in a little spot of trouble with the law, so Elena agreed to pretend to be her, to get her off the hook. Elena turned herself in to the people who were looking for Katherine, and I compelled her to keep cool under questioning. It was risky, but she pulled it off."

Katherine smiled. It was the first time she had heard of Elena's success. So she was off the hook.

"Is that where Elena is now?" Jer asked. Damon nodded. "She's on her way back from South Carolina. Said she'll be home by nightfall no matter what." The group murmured their relief.

"Where do you come into all this, mom?" Caroline asked Liz. "And who the hell is he?" She said pointing to the minister with the gun who was sat quietly behind her.

"Damon and Elena told me to find Katherine." She said. "They said when I found her, I was to call them so they could go and speak to her. Damon had seen that she was wanted by recognizing her picture on the news. He knew she would be on the run, so he thought that would act as leverage for her to do what he wanted."

"Ha!" Ric smirked in Katherine's direction. She scowled at him. "What did you do anyway?" He asked with curiosity.

"None of your damn business." She replied sharply.

"Killed thirty two people." Liz said. Everyone looked at Katherine horrified.

"It was an accident!" She protested. When no-one looked like they bought that, she shrugged as though she couldn't care less what they thought.

"Bill here," Liz said indicating the armed minister, "is the finest shot in my station. Damon said he needed someone to shoot a wooden bullet straight and true into Stefan without killing him. I knew Bill could do it."

"Well thank goodness," Caroline said, "because you really were a terrible minister." He smiled at her.

Jer sat down on the ground and rubbed his head. His mind was rushing to take it all in.

"And what about Stefan?" He said when he looked up. "What will happen to him?"

"I don't know. Klaus compelled him to do all that stuff to get Elena, but after Ric flushed his system with vervain, I think that he made his own choices. I think him telling Klaus about the wedding so he would come after Elena, is because he truly couldn't bear the thought that she chose me."

Katherine raised her eyebrow. "You children do so fight over your women..." She said and winked at him. Damon glared at her.

Carol came out of the house and walked towards them. "What's going on?" She said. "I have the best part of fifty guests inside my house absolutely terrified. The rest of them drove away as soon as they could."

"We'll have to find them and compel them all." Damon said to Caroline. She nodded sadly. It would be a long and tiring process getting them all to forget everything except the fact that they had been at a nice wedding.

"Katherine, you can help." Damon said.

"Oh no, I've done my bit." She said. "I even agreed to this hideous hair cut. I'm out of here." She got up and began to walk away. Damon ran with vampire speed to get in front of her.

"I think you have forgotten something." He said, holding out his hand. She smirked and reached into her bodice, pulling out the antique clasp from between her breasts.

"Oops. How did that get in there?" She smirked. He took it back from her with a look. She walked past him, then paused and turned back. "Hey, how did you know how to find me?" She asked with genuine curiosity.

"I just thought where you'd least like to be."

"Well, I guess that's true. Tell the boring one that she did okay."

"Whatever Katherine. I'll be seeing you."

"Not if I see you first." She said, hiked up her gown and ran at speed into the forest.


	16. Heartbeat

**Delenas - this is for you. Romance romance romance! **

**50% of this chapter is sex. Enjoy, and get yourself a post-coital cigarette at the ready.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 16: Heartbeat<strong>

**Four Years Later**

"Are you proud of me?" Elena asked, taking Damon's hand as they passed through the quadrangle. Their own little party of three was trying to avoid getting separated as large groups of undergraduates swarmed around them, having photographs taken with friends and family.

"Hmm, well the thing is, I already have five degrees and two doctorates," Damon replied, "so your single little degree doesn't impress me all that much, but hey. You know, I suppose you tried your best." Elena punched Damon's arm playfully, and her brother chuckled at Damon's words. "You know I couldn't be any prouder if I tried." He whispered in her ear. She gave his arm a squeeze.

Jeremy suddenly sprinted in front of them both and put his hand up to stop them walking any further.

"Oh no, you are not getting out of here without a photo being taken! We gotta mark the occasion."

"Do we _have_ to?" Damon grumbled.

"Yes, we do!" Elena said, pulling his hand so that he couldn't escape. Damon rolled his eyes and went and stood next to her. He reached up and grabbed the royal blue mortar-board from off of her head and put it on his own. Elena's newly grown hair blew out in the wind, it's length almost as long as it ever was.

Jer smiled. "Say cheese!"

"Get on with it, Gilbert." Was the closest he got.

* * *

><p>Elena had always wanted to go to the Sky Bar, the revolving five-star restaurant at the top of the city tower. Damon had promised he would take her as soon as she passed her exams, but not before. 'No distractions until you graduate.' He had said repeatedly. 'And then you can get a good job and keep me in the manner in which I'd like to become accustomed. But until then, you are going to concentrate on your studies.'<p>

She had thought it amusing at the time, but it became less funny when he imposed genuine restrictions on their time together.

But tonight her little family was all here. And Damon was good to his word and was lavishing her and Jeremy with the best of everything. Between the restaurant staff and Damon, the champagne never stopped flowing.

On the one rare occasion that a waiter was not immediately at their side, Damon plucked the latest bottle of Cristal from its icy bed and went to top up Jer's glass - forcing the younger man to put his hand over it, claiming despair that he had to travel in the morning.

"At this rate, I'm not even gonna find my way back to my hotel room, yet alone the airport!" He jokingly complained.

"Oh can't you stay longer, Jer?" Elena pleaded with him for the second time that day.

Jeremy shook his head. "No, I really have to get back to Mystic. The realtor says he has a stack of papers for me to sign."

Elena sighed. "I'm so sorry you've had to deal with selling the house all on your own."

"Hey, it's no biggie. You've been busy with your exams and everything."

"I know, but..."

"Look, don't worry about it. Tonight's not about that anyway. It's about you." He got to his feet and raised his glass. "Here's to my sister. Proud holder of a first-class Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature!" He raised his semi-empty glass and Damon and Elena joined him, "And the biggest pain-in-the-ass you could ever hope to meet..." he finished with a flourish of his hand.

"I'll drink to that." Damon smirked. The boys touched glasses and Elena gave them both suitably withering looks.

"Anyway, surely you don't want me under your feet if you are going to move out tomorrow?" Jer said, sitting down just as their sushi arrived. He began to tuck in. It was probably unwise to mix strong alcohol with raw fish, but he'd worry about that in the morning. "I thought you'd want to get on the road early?" He added.

"No, I want a day to say goodbye to people - thank a couple of my lecturers, you know." Elena replied.

Damon inwardly winced. For the past four years, he had lived separately from Elena in a neighboring city. It had been his suggestion that she went to university without him. As reluctant as she had been, she did as he advised.

She found that she thoroughly enjoyed the independence and freedom that life on campus gave her. However, what she never expected was that Damon would barely visit her. He only came to see her a couple of times each term and seldom invited her to spend weekends with him. When she questioned his reticence, he repeated his well-worn line about wanting her to concentrate on her studies. He knew she was confused and feeling pushed away.

The actual truth to why he was keeping her at arm's length he barely admitted even to himself.

The reality was that by the time she started her further education, Elena had been in a committed and monogamous relationship with him for over a year. He felt that this was wrong for someone so young. She deserved time to have fun and an opportunity to breathe. In short, she needed to be with other people and expand her horizons. And by that he really meant she needed to see other men.

So he stepped back. And even though he tried not to, he dreaded every one of her calls in case it would be the one where she would say, 'Damon, I've met someone else.' But he felt he owed her the chance to live an ordinary life. He wanted her to have her the space to decide whether her time with him up to that point had just been the product of a schoolgirl crush. He never wanted to give her a reason to say 'I wish I had experienced more'; he loved her too much for that.

But his decision brought him endless pain. He tried not to notice when new names came up in her conversations, _'I __wish __you __could __meet Rob, __he's __so __hilarious, __he __just __makes __everyone __crackup, __you __know?'_. Naturally guys flocked to her because she was pretty and smart and all the other things he loved about her. He listened to her tales of nights out with her new male friends and stayed as calm as he could. After all, he'd had his days of being wild - he had zero right to be jealous.

In the last few weeks of her final semester, he suspected she had developed an attachment to one of her professors. He had met the man once and noticed his elevated heartbeat and widened pupils when he talked to Elena. Damon stood beside her with a fixed grin fantasizing about the myriad ways he could rip the man's heart out as they politely conversed.

He put the thought from his mind. He didn't want to ruin the evening with negative thoughts - not when she was so happy. He turned his attention to Jeremy instead, who looked like he was about to leave. Damon knew Elena didn't want her brother to go.

"Damon?" Elena said putting a hand on his arm. "You were miles away. Where were you? I was just asking if we should get some more of these amazing Maki rolls?" Her expression was puzzled.

"Sorry. I guess I was thinking about where to go next." Damon said.

Jer laughed. "_Next_? It's one in the morning and I have a flight to catch tomorrow."

"Then get a later flight. I'll pay." Damon offered.

"Come on, Jer. You said it was _my_ night and I demand we all go out!" She said playfully. He looked at her and made an exaggerated gesture to show that he gave up. He couldn't fight both of them. Elena got up a little unsteadily and excused herself, making her way to the bathroom.

"Time for the men do some real drinking." Damon suggested. He got up and Jer followed him to the lounge bar, just over from where they were sitting. Damon sat at the bar and ordered them both single malts. Jer sipped slowly at his, and suspected that the vampire was trying to build up the courage to say something to him.

"Jer," Damon said eventually. "I've always wanted to apologize to you for what I did back in Mystic. Back then I was rash, jealous and probably had a whole load of other idiotic reasons for trying to hurt you."

Jer held his hand up. "Damon. It's water under the bridge."

"No," Damon continued, "it needs saying. I had no right to expect you forgive me at the time, but you did. I don't think Elena would be in my life now if it weren't for that. I am sorry. I hope you know how much."

"Apology accepted." Jer said and took a sip of his drink. He thought for a moment, deciding that if they were sharing a cosy moment, then perhaps it was time for him to share something that had been bothering him too.

"Listen, Damon, I know it's none of my business, but can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Have you been seeing someone else?" Damon snapped his head around to face him. His blue eyes searched Jeremy's brown ones with confusion.

"Why would you think that?"

"It's just Elena is worried. She says you seem really distant these days. I thought that maybe, well..."

"Is that what she thinks?"

"Honestly, I genuinely don't know. But Damon - you know she is devoted to you don't you? She wants to spend her life with you. If you don't want her any more, you really need to let her know. It's not fair to her."

Damon looked genuinely horrified. Elena picked that precise moment to rejoin them.

"I see you boys have skipped straight to the hardened drinking." She said. The barman came over as she flung her arms around them both. "Same again for these two," she said, "and I'll have whatever they are having."

* * *

><p>"I want to die." Were the first words out of Elena's mouth that morning. Jer was snoring loudly, having passed out in his room and slept through his morning call. Damon and Elena had ended up carrying him back to his hotel room, and somehow had never left either. Everyone had fallen asleep in different parts of the room after decimating the mini-bar.<p>

Suddenly Elena leapt out of the bed she found herself in, stumbled across Jeremy's body which was lying at a forty five degree angle in an armchair, and fell into the bathroom - where she was violently sick.

Damon turned over and put a pillow over his head.

* * *

><p>Later that afternoon, Damon ordered them all Bloody Mary's at Jeremy's hotel bar. Elena went green as soon as the drink was put in front of her. Damon laughed at seeing both of their faces. Naturally, he had recovered as soon as he had drunk a bag of blood, so he could afford to laugh. Jer was desperately trying to cover up the fact that he clearly felt like death.<p>

"Hair of the dog." Damon said, tossing the straw out of his drink and gulping it straight down. "Aaah, good stuff. Come on. Drink up you two."

Elena got up and ran from the table.

"How can you drink that?" Jer asked with a groan.

Damon smirked. "Ah-ha!" He said rubbing his hands together as a pair of waiters arrived bearing a mound of plates. "Breakfast has arrived!"

Jer took one look at the steaming plates filled with pancakes and syrup, eggs and crispy bacon, and ran out after Elena.

* * *

><p>Saying goodbye to her brother was hard as always, but today it seemed worse. Perhaps it was because of her hangover, or maybe it was the knowledge that he was going back to Mystic Falls to complete the sale on their family property. Whichever it was, it felt especially difficult to let him go.<p>

'_I __don't __need __all __that __space.'_He had said to her when he first suggested selling their parent's home four months ago, _'I __want __to __find something __closer __to __work __anyway.'_ She had told him that he could go ahead, after all - she and Damon were going to move in together after she finished university. She told him she wasn't interested in taking any of the profits and that he could use it to travel, or whatever he wanted to do. He hadn't listened though and the lawyer had arranged to split the money fairly between them.

"When you and Damon get yourself a place, I'll come and visit." Jer said into his sister's ear as he hugged her under the departures board.

She reluctantly let him go, brushed the tears out of her eyes and watched him go out onto the tarmac.

* * *

><p>"Elena. I need to ask you something." Damon said, as he cuddled her on top of her cramped single bed.<p>

She was curled up under his arm, dozing off her hangover in front of an old Hepburn and Tracy movie.

"Mm-hmm." She mumbled sleepily without opening her eyes.

"Do you trust me?" He asked as he stroked her hair, letting a silken strand run through his fingers.

"Hell no," she replied, "I have a degree now. I'm not a total idiot."

He smiled. "Be serious for a moment. Do you?"

She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Why?"

"Because I want you to know that I love you and need you, and would never hurt you."

"I know that." She said.

"And I also want you to know, that if anything happened during your time here, I'm gonna be okay with it." She sat up and pulled out of his arms.

"Like what? What exactly do you think 'happened'?" She said slowly, a frown forming.

He glanced at her. "I mean if you dated anyone else during your time here. I expected it. It doesn't matter."

She pulled out of his arms and sat bolt upright, suddenly sober and irritated.

"What do you mean 'it doesn't matter'? It would to me! God, Damon, do you seriously think I would do that?" She was both shocked and angry. Damon looked away and clamped his jaw firmly shut. "I can't believe you'd think I'd do that to you. Just because _you_ used to be a total slut, doesn't mean that I am." She settled back into the crook of his arm, which seemed to surprise him, but then she immediately jumped up again. "Is that why you wouldn't let me see you?" When he didn't answer, she asked him again. "Is it?" She went quiet for a moment and narrowed her eyes, thinking everything through as though she were him. "Did you actually _want_ me to do that?" When he didn't answer for the third time, her jaw dropped incredulously. "Oh my God, you did, didn't you? Why?"

He flashed her a glance with steely eyes. "I guess I thought you may want to live a little. Experiment... I don't know."

"Jesus. I can't believe this. Four years you've wasted waiting for something that would never happen!"

"Except for that lecturer..." Damon mumbled under his breath.

"_What_ lecturer?" She almost shrieked. When he clammed up and refused to answer, she answered for him. "Oh my God do you mean _Gerry_? Gerry. Seriously? Give me some credit. The man is a total moron, who had a ridiculous and _pointless_ crush on me." Damon looked at her again, then looked away just as suddenly. She had a way of making him feel completely foolish. "In fact right now, I can't decide which of you is the bigger idiot." She added crossly, folding her arms and facing the other way to him.

He opened his mouth to speak, but she snapped her head back around and he realized she was only just warming up.

"Did you _want_ me to sleep around? Was that your big idea, Damon? Perhaps you thought I would screw half the students and then when I realized that none of them could match the almighty Damon Salvatore in the sack, go crawling back to you. Christ Damon, I had no idea your ego was that big!"

Damon got to his feet and strode across the room.

"No! Of course that's not it. I just wanted you to have a chance at a normal life. Find a normal guy if that's what you wanted. Marriage. Kids. Get a fucking dog." He sulked.

She stood up and went over to him. "You think I'd want any kind of life without you in it? Damon, when will you realize that I love you? I don't want anyone else, a different life, or an _easy_ life, or whatever the fuck it is you think I should have. I want you! Which leads me to ask, do you still want me?"

He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her closer, his voice low and shaking with emotion. "I've never wanted anything more than I want you."

"Then for Christ's sake, Damon, start believing me when I say I choose you. I choose you and I want you and I never want to be apart from you, because without you there is no life. I'd have nothing, I'd feel nothing, I'd _be_ nothing." Her cheeks were flushed, her chest was heaving and her heart was racing. "Now shut up, and bloody kiss me!"

He pulled her to him firmly and did just that.

* * *

><p>"Yes! Yes! I trust you. I give in! Stop it!" She laughed. "Stop it, <em>please<em> stop, I can't breathe!" She begged. He smiled as he stopped tickling her. He kissed her tummy then lips in quick succession, before leaning on her as she had him only moments before. He folded his arms on her chest and lay his chin on them. He thought she never looked prettier than when her skin was glistening with a post-coital glow, as it currently was. It was true what they said about the best part of arguing...

"Well then." He said. "If you trust me, you will leave all the arrangements to me. All you need to do is find a dress and turn up."

She looked at him to see if he was joking. "Seriously?" He nodded. When she could see he wasn't kidding, she simply added, "Okay."

"Well, gee, that was easy. I'm glad, because I have always wanted to get married in Seaworld with a sea-lion holding the ring."

He held a straight face for as long as he could, and then began making sea-lion noises.

The ensuing pillow fight was entirely inevitable.

* * *

><p><strong>A few weeks later<strong>

As she walked into the forest clearing on the arm of her brother, Damon felt such a strong kick to his heart that he thought it had started beating again.

She wore a full length ivory dress, with lace capped sleeves that fitted over her slender body and draped from her hips to the floor where it pooled around her feet. Her hair was curled loosely and gathered at the nape of her neck, loose tendrils floated down the length of her back and across her shoulder. In her hands, she carried a bouquet of orchids. As all eyes turned to her from their little gathering of selected guests, he could feel her shyness. She blushed prettily, and he felt his breath catch. She was radiant.

As his eyes travelled over her, he wondered at how he had managed to find the one person in the world who made him completely happy. When she saw him, her nerves seemed to disappear and she smiled so widely and so happily that he could not help but mirror it. Jeremy deposited her at his side, and the boy gave him a look as though to say it was the real deal this time.

Damon leaned in and told her, "You look breathtaking."

Her eyes dipped coyly to the ground and a faint blush rose to her cheeks. He wondered how it was possible that in that moment she was even more beautiful than ever before. He resisted the urge to touch her and fought to turn his eyes to the minister.

As the ceremony took place, he saw Caroline and Bonnie both wipe away tears. As he slipped his mother's wedding ring onto Elena's finger, he knew he had never wanted anything more than to make this commitment to her.

Elena's hand shook and he gave it a comforting squeeze before releasing it. He didn't want to let it go. The heat from her fingers radiated across his body like a fever.

As the minister finished the ceremony and told him he could kiss his bride, he gathered Elena into his arms, and let his lips consume her, the feeling in his belly spreading like a forest-fire. She responded in kind; it was only when he heard a gentle cough from his best man Ric and heard Caroline giggling, that he realized that the kiss had been a little more ardent than was entirely appropriate. Elena pulled back from him with a mischievous grin. Even the minister smiled, nobody could resist a couple so clearly in love.

"Congratulations Mr and Mrs Salvatore. I hope you will be very happy together." The minister said cheerfully, and everybody clapped and cheered.

Elena took his hand and suddenly all Damon wanted was to be alone with her, but he knew he would have to be patient.

Their photographer arranged them into groups and snapped away, and Damon was well behaved and did as he was told - but every time he looked at Elena, he knew he had to get time with her all alone. He pulled Ric aside as soon as he could and said, "I need ten minutes with Elena. Please, just ten minutes." Ric smiled and nodded. Damon found Elena being kissed and congratulated by Matt, and he said to him, "Matt, forgive me, I just need to steal my wife away for a moment."

"You do?" Elena asked, smiling at his use of the term 'wife'.

"Yes." He said. "It's important."

She giggled as he swept her carefully off her feet into his arms, and moved far away from all the guests at vampire speed - leaving them cheering him on. He took Elena to the top of the forest where there was a break in the trees and a stunning view of the night sky. He put her feet carefully down. The evening was crisp and cool, and as they were away from the heat of the braziers in the wedding clearing, Elena began to shiver. Damon took off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. He pulled her in close.

"Hello husband." She said with a shy smile, threading her arms around his waist.

"Hello wife." He replied and returned her smile as he caressed her face. They stayed looking at each other for a minute or so in silence whilst the enormity of what they had done sunk in.

"Damon, the wedding was beautiful. I never would have thought of marrying at night. What made you think of it?"

He turned her around to face the view, placed his hands around her waist and pressed his cheek against hers. He whispered low in her ear. "This is why I chose this date, and why it had to be at night."

In front of them the star-filled sky was dominated by a giant moon that was swollen and luminous. As they watched, the moon began to turn red. Soon it was nothing but a giant copper disc - pregnant with omens but stunning in its beauty.

Elena turned to face him with her eyes wide. He stroked the downy hairs at the back of her neck with his hand.

"A lunar eclipse!" She exclaimed. "Damon, it's stunning."

She watched as the eclipse began to pass and the red seeped away until the moon was silver again.

Damon leaned close against her ear and said to her, "The moon passes into the earth's shadow and it feels nothing but darkness. It bleeds because it thinks it is lost forever and then it finds the sun's light again. The sun makes it whole. Complete. And the moon knows who it is again."

Elena turned in his arms to face him. She had total adoration in her eyes. "Damon-" She said, almost speechless because in that one sentence she knew he had opened himself to her utterly and completely.

"You're _my_ light, Elena," Damon said, placing a kiss on her forehead, "and to me, you outshine the sun."

* * *

><p>At the dinner, every opportunity they got, they touched each other.<p>

Under the table, his knee would rest against hers. When he passed her by as she spoke to someone else, his hand would sweep across the small of her back. As she reached for her purse, her fingers would linger against his.

When she danced with anyone else, his eyes never left her. She knew he watched and she moved accordingly. She pressed against her partner, moved her hips and reveled in the fact that she was driving Damon to distraction.

Bonnie leaned over to Ric and nudged his arm, and nodded in Damon's direction. Ric watched Damon devouring Elena with his eyes and the teacher smiled. The chemistry between husband and wife was off the scale. Bonnie and Ric smirked at each other.

It got to two in the morning and the restaurant manager opened some fine brandy and cigars appeared. Elena was chatting to Tyler when she felt an arm on hers pulling her gently away.

"We need to leave." Damon said to her. "Because if we don't, I am going to break every law of decency right here, right now." He leaned into her ear. "Elena, I have to get you home."

She giggled. "Okay, wait here." She went and told Ric that they were leaving, and even though Damon was tugging at her hand the whole time and as impatient as she had ever known him, Ric and Caroline forced them both to stay long enough until the entire group had had their chance to cover them in confetti.

They fell into the waiting wedding car and Damon told the driver that if they got them to their hotel in under ten minutes, he would give him a hundred dollars. They got there in eight.

* * *

><p>He had booked the penthouse suite, which was on the twenty-fifth floor. It had spectacular views over the city.<p>

As soon the elevator doors shut, Damon attacked Elena with kisses. When it paused at the sixteenth floor and a female guest stepped in, Damon had to face the other way. Elena also tried to disguise her disheveled state, rapidly trying to straighten her rumpled dress and re-pin her hair. The woman waited until she reached her floor, then just as the doors were closing, turned to face them and said 'newly weds, huh?' with a grin on her face. Elena grinned and nodded, the woman said congratulations as the doors closed. As soon as they shut, Damon fell upon his wife again, hitching her up against the corner of the lift and wrapping her legs around him as much as her dress allowed.

When the door pinged open at their floor, he swept her up into his arms and ran at human speed down the corridor to their room, with her giggling and burying her head against his as she clung to him for dear life. When they got to the door, she reached into his top pocket, found the key card, leaned down and opened the door. Damon managed in his haste to bundle her into the room, and as he carried her over the threshold her mouth fell open when she saw what he had booked for them both.

The walls of the room he had chosen were floor-to-ceiling glass, and the whole vista of the city was spread out beneath them, a sprawl of twinkling lights that unfurled as far as the eye could see. Inside the room was a modern open fire which crackled from its base in a wide ceramic dish. The flames provided the only light in the room but as the entered, automatic sensors switched on low lighting. The bed was on a raised platform in the centre of the room and had been strewn with rose petals.

Elena jumped out of Damon's arms, and began to explore. Moving from room to room, she marveled how each was more exquisite and luxurious than the last. As she moved, lights automatically came on, then switched off behind her.

When Damon caught up to her, she was investigating the bathroom. He grabbed her around her waist, causing her to shriek. She began laughing almost hysterically when he hitched her up onto his shoulder and carried her out to the bedroom, ignoring her breathless demands to be put down.

"If you will insist on being the most gorgeous, tempting woman I have seen in my whole life, then you can at least have the decency to make love to me." He said.

He placed her down carefully on the enormous bed and sat down beside her. She tried to regain her breath, but was grinning ear to ear. He smiled too as he reached out and touched her face, caressing her softly as though he had never seen her before. She captured his hand with her own and rubbed it against her cheek, then kissed the tips of his fingers.

"You make me so happy." She said, rising to her feet.

She felt confident and sexy in his gaze. And while never breaking eye-contact with him, she slowly undid the concealed zip of her dress from under her arm. He watched hungrily as she let the silken fabric plunge from her body and pool at her feet.

Underneath she revealed a delicate, strapless, ivory boned basque, garters and stockings. She stepped out of her heels and Damon reached for her, placing his hands on her hips and bringing her closer to him, his fingers cool on her warm skin. She climbed up and straddled his lap, and he slipped his tongue into her mouth as his hands hurried to find the clips of her basque and undo them. As the each of the metal clasps gave way under his insistent fingers, he felt his desire to touch her naked skin escalate.

As he undid the bottom clasp, he pushed the basque from her body and let it fall to the floor. She broke the kiss, leaned back and let down her hair, shaking her head so that the loose waves fell across her shoulders.

He lay on his back and took her in as she sat there straddling him. The golden down that covered her olive skin, the dark brunette hair that slid over the curve of her breasts, the raspberry nipples that stood to attention. He sat up and reached out to pull her face to his. When their lips touched, he kissed her hungrily - his tongue slipping inside her mouth and tussling with hers until she was quite breathless once more. His hands smoothed across her bare skin, one minute lingering in her soft, fragrant hair, the next traveling to her breasts and squeezing them gently before sliding around her back and pulling her down on top of him as he fell back onto the bed.

He lifted her further up his body, so his lips could move from her mouth to her breasts, and he slipped his tongue over her taut nipples sending vibrations all over her body. It was if he had found her unique frequency and every sensation he created made her thrum with desire.

She fumbled to find the button of his pants and pulled it open, followed by his fly. His hands rested on her thighs as she freed him from the shorts he strained against. As her hand brushed his skin he arched with a moan that sent butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She got down from the bed and slowly removed his shoes and socks. She pulled his pants and shorts off. Then starting with the arches of his feet, she slowly kissed her way back up his legs, making him curl his fingers into the sheets beneath him in anticipation.

Before she could take his length into her mouth, he moved suddenly so that she was beneath him. She thought he would rush to be inside her, but instead he slowed down. He removed his shirt and put it to one side. She looked up at him, his pale skin, the planes of his defined chest, the dark tangle of hair between his strong legs and his rigid cock straining to be inside her. He let her look as he put his hands on her hips, curved his fingers into her ivory satin panties and slid them off of her gently. He bent down and gently separated her legs, kissed his way slowly up her thighs and up and up until she felt she would explode for wanting his tongue to slip between her folds and tease her until she came. When his tongue finally found her sweet spot, her orgasm was almost instantaneous. She shuddered almost silently, and he moved above her and kissed her deeply and she could taste herself on him.

"I love you, Mrs Salvatore." He said simply and he moved his body until he was between her legs, and slipped himself inside of her.

It may have been her imagination, but she felt that she had never really noticed how he filled her before. He moved slowly at first and she matched his rhythm, pushing her hips up against his body to take him even deeper. He devoured her with kisses, burying his face in her hair and moving against her, his arm muscles straining as he took his weight. Soon his pace began to increase, and she began to breathe heavily as she felt herself begin to come again. He bent to her face and brushed his lips across her cheek. She felt his eyelashes on her skin. "Oh God." She uttered as he buried his nose in his favorite place at the crook of her neck and took in the scent of her.

He rolled them both over, and she rose above him rocking herself onto him as she came again, and as her muscles contracted he rolled her beneath him again. Their movements were so fluid, so instinctive, she felt they had to be one body. She wrapped her legs around him and put both hands on his face as he moved inside her.

"Let me see you." She said.

"You _do_ see me." He said and she shook her head.

"The real you." She replied.

He bowed his head and when he looked up again, his vampire features had come. She never quite lost that sense of shock when she saw him that way. But she kept her hands on his face and pushed her hips high and hard against him so he knew she was not afraid.

"I... I find it hard to stay in control when I'm like this." He admitted. And she looked at him long and hard. "Then don't." She replied.

He stopped moving, and cast his red eyes down at her, wondering what his next move should be. She held his face firm.

"I'm not scared." She said firmly.

He paused for a moment longer and then she felt herself raised off the bed. Soon her back was against the window, he had hold of her behind and was grinding into her. She looked to her side, and saw the city beneath her. Before she had a chance to catch her breath, she found herself on the floor, then suddenly against a wall. He moved her with dizzying speed and strength. She swallowed hard, and he paused with her in his arms.

"Are you okay?" He asked. She thought about it; she was disorientated, giddy and felt she had not taken a breath for at least a minute and she gripped at his arms with shaking hands.

"Erm. Yes. Yes, I'm fine." She said. No sooner had the words left her mouth, then she found herself shrieking as he leapt vertically upwards with her. He spiraled her across every room of their suite, had her in terrifying positions, including one which had him balancing on their window ledge so far outside that she could feel the wind blow her hair into the night sky. Sometimes he moved inside her at vampire speed that made her cry out with exhilaration. At other times, he slowed and caressed her body before running his tongue lightly over her skin. At one point she could have sworn that her back was against the ceiling.

She knew she should have been scared, terrified even - but in his hands she always felt completely and utterly safe. When finally she found herself falling back onto the bed, her mouth fell open in a perfect 'O'. His face briefly returned to normal.

"Are you alright?" He said, concerned. She couldn't speak, she just nodded. He began to nibble at her ear and throat with blunt teeth, and then by accident, her scent made his face turn again. He swore and pulled away from her. She put her hand out and stopped him moving away.

"No, Damon. It's fine. Really it is. Don't hold back." She paused and looked at him sincerely. "I'm ready." She said. She turned her eyes away from his and exposed her creamy white throat, knowing he would not be able to resist her heightened pulse, and the scent of their lovemaking on her skin.

He hesitated for a moment, but then he leaned forwards, and slowly and gently broke her skin with sharp incisors and began to suck.

The feeling was like nothing she had ever experienced.

She had been bitten before, but never like this. Never with tenderness, never with desire. The experience was as different as chalk from cheese.

Her whole body shuddered. It wasn't as though he was taking something away from her, rather that he was injecting something into her. That feeling curled through her veins, so much so that she could almost trace its path. As a student, she had tried ecstasy a few times and the blissed out feeling of total joy reminded her of this.

Her body arched up and went rigid beneath him, and she could hear him feed from her with little animal noises that were simultaneously both scary and erotic. She was aware of pain, but it seemed to be happening somewhere outside of herself. And besides, his hand was between her legs and he was touching her as well as pushing into her which proved to be the ultimate distraction.

Suddenly everything became more real, she could smell the scent of the rose petals bruised by their bodies as strongly as if she had walked into a rose garden. Her body felt like it was in a sensory overload, and she cried out long and loud as her orgasm rocked her from the tips of her fingers to the ends of her toes. He finished drinking from her as he came too, bucking and jolting into her with a cry. His teeth retracted suddenly and he licked lazily at her tiny neck wounds and then fell onto her, spent.

He rolled off and moved to her side. She turned to face him, panting for breath.

Her mind exploded with a thousand ways to express what she had just experienced, but her body could manage only two words. "Oh, Damon." She said, her eyes wide.

"Everything is different with you." He said, almost shocked by that admission. "Better." He added. "I've never done that with anyone who wasn't compelled before. My God, Elena, what did I do to deserve you? You are astonishing." He said genuinely quite overcome with emotion.

"You amaze me too." She said, running her fingers over his lips. "All of you. My dear, wonderful, vampire husband."

He opened his arms to her and she wriggled into them and fell asleep on his chest just as the dawn began to break.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Elena's dress is any of the slinky, pretty ones from the Jenny Packham Spring/Summer 2012 range. www dot jennypackham dot com**


	17. Letting Go

**Slash chapter. Definitely deserves its M rating.**

**Also, this chapter features one quite dark sexual situation, so if that's not your thing, I suggest you skip this.**

**There is a bit of whizzing backwards and forwards in time as Jer remembers previous incidents. I hope it's not too confusing. **

**Sorry about the delay posting this. I've been really obsessed with this chapter. I hope you like it.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 17: Letting Go<strong>

**Present Day**

As soon as the bride and groom left the restaurant, Jer made his excuses and ducked away from the party. He pushed his hands deep into his pockets to keep them warm in the cool morning air and quickly walked the two blocks to his waiting car.

He opened the door and climbed in.

"Are you okay?" He said turning to face Stefan in the driver's seat.

The vampire didn't speak, he just floored the accelerator so aggressively he left tire marks on the asphalt.

* * *

><p>It was gone noon by the time they reached Mystic Falls. Stefan pulled the car up outside of the apartment, jumped out and slammed the door, waking Jer up in the process. The boy yawned and eased the tension out of his neck. As soon as he got out of the car the sunlight hurt his eyes and he squinted blearily.<p>

Stefan had already run up the exterior stairs, gone inside and selfishly let the door close behind him. Jer sighed, he fumbled for the house keys in his pocket and dropped them on the ground. As he bent to pick them up, he sensed a presence in front of him.

"You don't have to do this you know."

"Jesus, Anna! You scared me."

"Stefan hurts you every time, don't let him do it again." She said.

"Anna, what is your deal? It's always the same with you. You arrive and start telling me you don't like how I live my life and then you disappear for months. Well, guess what? I still don't want your advice and I still don't need it."

He looked both ways down the street to check if anyone could see him talking 'to himself'. He took a step forward, but Anna blocked his path. She looked sad.

"Please Jer, you are always so mad at me, but you have to listen. Stefan hurt you before. He always hurts you."

"No, Anna, he doesn't. We're friends. Now will you get out the way?" When she refused and shook her head, he said, "Fine..." and walked right through her body - which he knew she hated.

* * *

><p>Jer jogged up the interior steps of the apartment and found that Stefan had retreated to his bedroom. He couldn't hear any sounds coming from the room, which meant the vampire was either listening to his headphones, or was feeding.<p>

Jer took his jacket off and tossed it onto the banister, then knocked gently on Stefan's door.

"Stefan. Can I come in?" He listened for a reply and when he heard nothing, he tried again. "Stefan?" He was met by stony silence.

He sighed and turned to go to his own room, but Vicki was blocking his door.

"Jesus, enough of the hauntings already." Jer muttered. "What do you want, Vic? I'm tired, I'm hungry, I just wanna take a bath and go to bed."

"I'm not stopping you." She said, standing aside. He walked past and gave her a suspicious look.

He slumped onto his bed and yawned again. Stripped off his clothes down to his boxers and lay back with his hands under his head.

* * *

><p>Jer's thoughts wandered to Damon and Elena's wedding. The bride and groom had been so happy, it was impossible not to be pleased for them. Although he wondered which one of them would have killed him first if they had discovered he had brought Stefan to witness their ceremony. To say it had been a crazy risk, was putting it mildly. But then they didn't understand the situation like he did.<p>

Nobody knew that he and Stefan were in touch. Nobody knew that Stefan was living in his spare room.

So when the vampire asked whether he would take him to see the wedding, Jer didn't have the heart to say no. Stefan was already miserable and heart-broken, and the boy had vainly hoped that seeing Elena and Damon begin their lives together may help the vampire move on.

Stefan _needed_ to see them marry. Even from a distance. Even lurking in the shadows of a forest like a ghost, or watching from outside a restaurant with hands pressed against the glass. He had to know, hear, see and _feel_ it: his relationship with Elena was over.

From Jer's point of view, bringing Stefan was just one more thing to hide from the happy couple. He now had told them such a long list of lies that it was just a matter of time before he slipped up and the whole house of cards would fall.

Like all lies, the first one had been little. Not even a lie really, just a case of withholding information. Currently, Elena thought he was just about to buy an apartment, using the money from the recent sale of their family home. But that wasn't true. He had saved his earnings from years of working at the Grill and had bought a place over a year ago.

At first he hadn't told her because she had her own stuff to deal with, and whenever he tried to bring it up, it seemed like a bad time. But eventually the reason for not telling her became concrete - he didn't want her to ask who he was living with.

The subject of his thoughts began moving around in the room next to him and from the sound of it, he was breaking things.

Despite the escalating 'living arrangements lie', there was one thing he would never risk and that was his sister's safety. Taking Stefan to witness the wedding was not dangerous the way people would have assumed it was. And that was because none of them were in full possession of the facts.

They didn't realize that when Stefan walked away from the phony wedding chaos four years ago, he had known all along that Elena wasn't dead.

Jer thought back to that hideous day. He remembered the moment Stefan wept over the lifeless body in his arms. When the vampire got up, they had exchanged a glance. Jeremy hadn't understood it at the time, but as soon as the whole event was revealed as a charade, he recalled the look the vampire had given him.

In that moment, he knew with complete clarity that Stefan was aware that it was Katherine, not Elena, who lay there dead. And for the vampire to keep up the pretense must have meant only one thing; he did it to save their lives.

Stefan must have known when he walked away with Klaus, that he was leaving Elena to be with Damon. He had made a choice that day; to leave his soulmate to his brother, rather than expose them all to hybrids' retribution.

Jer decided in that moment, that Stefan's actions were the most selfless he had ever witnessed.

* * *

><p>Even when life returned to normal, Jer couldn't leave the thought alone. It bugged him that Stefan shouldered everybody's hatred. He wanted to find the vampire and say he understood what he sacrificed. He wanted to tell him he was grateful.<p>

Immediately after the fake wedding, Jeremy set about tracking him down. Finding the vampire wasn't all that difficult. Klaus had abandoned him like a used toy and Stefan took to consoling himself in the bottom of a glass.

Their first meeting had been terrible. Jer made the mistake of thinking Stefan would be pleased to see him. It was not a mistake he would repeat. Stefan tossed him out the bar onto his ass before he could even open his mouth to speak. Jer left the encounter with his body and his pride equally bruised.

But he just couldn't let it go, and a few days later he tracked Stefan down again. That night he approached with more caution. He stealthily followed the vampire out of a club and into a narrow, dark, alley. Jer was just wondering how to make his presence known, when he felt himself yanked off his feet and his back pushed violently against a wall.

"Why are you here?" Stefan hissed, his breath hot on the boy's face and his arm muscles straining as he held him by the throat. "I told you I would kill you if I saw you again." Stefan leaned forwards, his red eyes, threaded veins and sharp teeth dangerously close. Jer panted fearfully, his hands flat against the wall at his back.

"Elena's not dead." The boy choked. "And I know you know that." He added. Stefan relaxed his arm so the boy could breathe, but he didn't let him go.

"She _is_ dead." Stefan muttered. "I held her body in my arms." He may have spoken the words, but his eyes told Jer he didn't believe a word he said.

"Stefan, I know what happened that day. I know you let Klaus _think_ that was Elena." Jer began. "And I know he has abandoned you since. Stefan, you are on your own and you are hurting. I understand." Jer said, his soulful brown eyes searching Stefan's cold emerald ones for some evidence of his humanity. It was too long since he had seen that side of the vampire. Too long since Stefan looked like he cared about life at all.

"Get out of here, Jer. I won't tell you again." Stefan said sharply, his face changing to human again. He dropped the boy suddenly and began to walk away, but Jer immediately went after him and placed his hand on the vampire's shoulder.

Stefan had him back up against the wall at such speed, it made his head spin. The vampire balled both his hands into the thin fabric of the boy's shirt and pinned him where he was.

"Why do you keep following me? What do you want from me?" Stefan said, sounding genuinely confused.

"You!" Jer shouted suddenly, his eyes intense on Stefan's, his heart beating wildly. "I want you, Stefan." He repeated anxiously. Stefan looked shocked. He dropped his hands away from the boy's shirt and stepped back.

"Yeah, well. Do yourself a favor kid and forget you ever met me." He looked at the boy uncertainly, then turned and walked away.

Jer ran in front of him and placed a hand on the vampire's chest to stop him walking, then moved it slowly to cover his heart. "It doesn't have to hurt like this." He said. "It doesn't, Stefan." The vampire looked at him, confused, angry - full of pain. Jer leaned in and pressed his lips against his.

Stefan didn't know what do with his hands. The boy pulled his lips away and Stefan looked at him with conflicting emotions in his eyes. "Why are you doing this?" He asked.

"Because you want me to, even if you don't realize it yet." Jer stepped towards the vampire again, threaded his arms around his waist and forced their lips to collide.

Jeremy's tongue probed and prized at Stefan's mouth until it opened to him. Suddenly he found himself with his back against the wall again - but it was different this time. The brick grazed pleasantly at his shoulders as Stefan pushed against him. The vampire's lips were as tenacious as his own and Stefan held him flush against his body and could feel Jer's growing erection against his thigh.

Suddenly Stefan pulled back and broke the kiss. He undid the boys' belt at speed, unzipped his fly and thrust his hand into his pants. He leaned forwards and whispered into Jer's ear, "Is this what you want?", his voice sounded aggressive - unkind. Something was wrong. No, _everything_ was wrong.

Jer, panting, felt the vampire's fingers tugging at his cock harshly. Before he could answer, Stefan pulled out his hand and spun him around so fast that he had to slam his hands against the wall to stop his face hitting it. With his cheek pressed against the brick, he inhaled cement dust. He could feel his pants being yanked down over his ass and his legs being kicked apart. With a sudden sick feeling, he realized he had entirely lost control of the situation.

"Is _this_ what you want?" Stefan said into his ear.

Jer shook his head. His words choking him. "N-no... No!"

Stefan snorted in derision, leaned forwards and whispered in his ear, "Then leave me alone."

He walked away.

Jer pulled up his pants with shaking hands. He leaned his forehead against the wall for a moment or two, wondering when exactly he had started crying.

He used the heel of his hand to brush the hot tears away, then walked quickly out of the alley in the opposite direction to the one Stefan had taken.

* * *

><p>Remembering the incident now, Jeremy felt both sad and angry. It had taken him months to regain the courage it took to try and seek out the vampire again. Even though he didn't want to admit it at the time, Stefan had scared the crap out of him that night.<p>

Jer had gone back to work and immediately began to date whoever caught his eye. Girl after girl came and went, until the point where he would sit in on one date and keep his eyes open for the next. He didn't much like the person he became during that time.

Eventually it was a chance encounter that changed everything. He had been out of town getting supplies for the Grill, when he happened to run into Caroline. He had really lost touch with her since Elena had left town and when they spotted each other, they hugged and decided to go for a coffee. They chatted for an hour or so, and naturally the conversation turned to Stefan. Jer listened with interest to Care's version of events. She expressed how angry she was at the vampire and how she felt completely used by him. She assumed Jeremy felt the same way.

When they parted, Jer left the coffee shop with the same nagging sadness that had haunted him since the day of the fake wedding. It hit him hard. _Everyone_ abandoned Stefan. His girlfriend, his brother, his friends, even Klaus... The vampire had _no-one_, and that wasn't right. Not when he had saved all their lives.

So what if the vampire had rejected him, been violent? He had probably just done it to scare Jer off in order to brood alone for the rest of eternity.

Coming out of that coffee shop, Jer vowed from that day forward, no matter what Stefan did, he would not abandon him too.

He owed it to Stefan to try again.

* * *

><p>A few days later, just as he was driving home, Jer decided to swing past the boarding house. Elena had given him a key and he would occasionally drop by and check that nobody had broken in.<p>

Today, when he opened the door, he came face-to-face with Stefan - who looked equally shocked to find him standing there.

"I thought you were Damon," Stefan said, "but I could hear a heartbeat, and so I thought... Well I thought..."

Jer knew damn well what he thought.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you." He said, eyeing the vampire warily. For a moment neither of them spoke. Eventually Jeremy stammered, "I just came by to check the place over. It's clearly fine and you are obviously back here now, so I'll leave." He turned to go, kicking himself that now he had found who he was looking for he was lost for words and running away.

"Jeremy?"

"Yes?" He turned back to face the vampire, his eyes full of hope. Perhaps Stefan would begin a conversation.

"The keys." Stefan said, putting his hand out.

"Oh, er, sure." Jer blushed as he fought the metal ring that clamped the boarding house keys to his own. He succeeded, handed them to the vampire and turned to leave.

He got as far as the door when he paused.

"You and I were friends once, Stefan," he said sadly, "I wish I knew when that changed." He turned to face the vampire. "I'm not like the others you know." He said, then turned away again and stepped outside. Suddenly Stefan was in front of him.

"What do you mean, you are not like the others?" The vampire said, his green eyes narrowing.

"I mean, Damon, Elena, Tyler, Caroline, Bonnie, Ric - all of them - they will never forgive you for what they think you did. They're angry at you and they always will be. But not me. I know what you did for us - for me. I don't care about the other stuff. I know I am alive because of you."

He stepped around Stefan and continued to walk to his car. He unlocked it, but suddenly the vampire's hand was on the door preventing him from getting in.

"Why do you still seek me out? After everything I did to you, the compulsion, the alley...?" Stefan asked with incomprehension on his face.

Jer shrugged. "You bruised my ego. That's all. Guess what - I recovered." He looked at Stefan who seemed to be processing that. The vampire toyed with the spare keys in his hand and he looked at Jeremy thoughtfully. "Look," Jer continued, "if your intention in the alley was to scare me off, then congratulations, it worked. I was stupid and naïve. I get it. I thought you needed someone to show you they still cared. But clearly you don't, so I'll leave you alone, just like you've always wanted." He indicated that he'd like Stefan to move, but the vampire didn't.

"I thought what I was doing was for your own good." Stefan said, looking troubled. "I never would have hurt you, Jer. I just wanted to scare you away."

Jer nodded slowly. "I know. It's okay." He replied softly.

"No, it's _not_ okay." Stefan said raising his voice. "How can you be okay with that? With everything I did to you?" He examined the boys' face; the dark, even eyebrows, the little mole on his right cheek, the tiny scratch on his face from where he must have nicked himself that morning when shaving -

"Just let me go, Stefan." Jer said, trying not to let his voice crack.

Stefan stepped away from the car and allowed Jer to open the door.

As Jer sat down, he felt something cold and sharp resting on his lap. To his surprise he found the bundle of previously confiscated boarding house keys.

He looked up, but the vampire was gone.

* * *

><p>Remembering that moment made Jer anxious. That had been the best part of three years ago, and he wondered if he was any less confused about his relationship with the vampire now than he was then. He doubted it.<p>

A few months ago Stefan had turned up at his apartment door, with no explanation, no discussion. He had just walked inside and never left. The vampire didn't seem to know what he wanted. He mostly stayed away from the boy, or when he was in the same room as him, he barely spoke. He came and went at will, and Jer ached, worried, and fretted about it.

Now Jer turned over on his bed and faced the wall. It was impossible to recall the memory of the day he had been given those keys, without remembering the only time he had been brave enough to use them...

* * *

><p>Jer pulled up outside of the boarding house, his heart thundering. He had the boarding house keys on the passenger seat.<p>

He killed the engine, inhaled deeply and walked towards the front door. With every step, he knew this was the right decision. He sped up.

As he unlocked the door of the boarding house and stepped inside, he could hear the sound of a shower running.

He dropped his keys where he stood and leapt up the stairs three at a time.

He ran towards Stefan's bedroom and pushed the door open. As soon as he entered the room, he froze. He stood there, watching billowing steam as it poured from the bathroom.

The shower was switched off.

He swallowed.

Slowly, casually, Stefan entered the room. He was naked with the exception of the towel he was just tucking around his waist. If he was surprised to find Jeremy in his room, he didn't show it.

"Would you like a drink?" The vampire asked him calmly.

Jer shook his head.

"Do you want to talk?" He asked.

Jer shook his head again.

Stefan ran a hand through his wet hair, stretching the muscles of his glistening torso. His expression was quizzical, "Then what _do_ you want?" he asked softly.

Jer strode towards forwards and put his hands either side of the vampire's face and he kissed him hard.

Stefan took a half step back, such was the ferocity of the boy's kiss. The lips slid over his, and Jer's tongue entered Stefan's mouth with urgency. The vampire's tongue became soft and yielding in response. The boy moved his fingers through Stefan's wet hair and pulled him closer. Stefan's hands moved from resting on the boy's hips, to tightening around his back.

Jeremy pulled the towel from Stefan's waist and let it slump heavily to the floor. His hands moved to the vampire's ass and squeezed it firmly, pulling the naked body against his own fully clothed one, until they were so close you could not have slipped a sheet of paper between them.

Stefan broke the kiss and whispered seductively into Jeremy's ear, "What do you want?"

"To finish what I started." The boy replied.

Stefan found himself being pushed backwards onto the bed and he took Jer down with him. The mattress bowed under their shared weight and they began kissing passionately again. Stefan reached down and tugged at the hem of Jer's uniform, pulling the sweater over his head. He ran his hands all over the boy's naked, athletic back, and enjoyed every undulation of his skin.

Stefan liked Jer's heat, and the way his dark hair rose above his belt to his navel. He liked the way the boy closed his eyes and groaned when his cock was squeezed through the fabric of his pants. He liked the way Jer kept insisting on taking control and getting exactly what he wanted.

Jer had been nibbling at Stefan's ear, when he leaned back and tried to undo his own pants. His hands were shaking. Stefan calmly put his own hands on top of the boy's and helped him. Jer flicked shy eyes to the vampire, but Stefan held his gaze calmly as he slowly, and seductively pushed the boy's pants over his hips.

"Jer, are you sure you want this?" Stefan asked him quietly.

"Shut up, Stefan." Jer said and he pushed the vampire's body back onto the bed and fell against him - kissing him wildly until his lips were sore from it.

The vampire turned them both over, so that Jer was underneath him. He put his hand on the boy's face and felt his lightly stubbled chin with his thumb, which he traced across to the boy's pulsating carotid artery. Suddenly Stefan turned and he bared his elongated teeth. He moved his lips to the boys throat and broke the skin sharply.

Jer arched under him. Stefan reached down between the boys legs and gripped his erection. He began to stroke him as he sucked, causing Jer to moan and thrash. He tried to stroke Stefan too, but he was distracted by the sensations rushing through him. He was palpitating as his blood was drunk and soon he was on the edge of orgasm.

Suddenly Jer pulled away, causing his skin of his neck to get accidentally torn. He held his fingers to the wound and looked up at the vampire, whose face had returned to normal. Stefan was licking his blood off his lips.

"You won't _ever_ do that again to me, unless I ask you to." Jeremy said firmly to him.

Stefan smiled, he wasn't used to seeing Jeremy standing up for himself like this. He liked it.

"I'm sorry." He said sincerely. "You're right. It won't happen again." He leaned down and began to kiss Jer's chest, but suddenly he found himself flipped onto his back. Jer gripped his forearms and was looking down into his eyes.

"I told you already, _I_ want to finish what _I_ started." He said, and the vampire smiled as the boy rolled over him onto his side.

* * *

><p>Remembering the sensations of that afternoon made Jer achingly hard again, even though he resented his body's reaction. He could still recall the taste of Stefan's kiss, even though it had been three years ago and they had not slept together since.<p>

He sulked, wondering why he was torturing himself by remembering what had, for him, been the most amazing experience of his life. But it clearly wasn't for the person he had shared it with.

Even when Stefan turned up on his doorstep a few months ago, Jer didn't understand what the vampire wanted from him. Stefan just seemed to want to mope in company and ask him questions about Damon and Elena.

Jer turned over to face his room again and discovered that Vicki and Anna had joined him. Perhaps he should have been embarrassed by the tension in his boxers, but he just couldn't be bothered.

"I've only just realized," Anna said sadly, "but you love him, don't you?"

Jer looked at her. He didn't answer.

Vicki turned to face Anna and raised her eyebrows. "You've only just figured that out?" She said and laughed curtly, causing Anna to bristle. "He's loved him for years. Why else do you think he lets himself get used the way he does?"

"Stefan doesn't use me!" Jer said angrily.

"What else do you call it letting him move in here, rent free? You let him bring home whoever he wants, and sit here moping as he fucks them, or feeds from them, or whatever the hell he does." Vicki continued.

"He doesn't feed from them." Jeremy sulked. "He doesn't even drink human blood any more. You know that. And he can fuck who he wants, why should I care?"

Anna walked over towards his bed and crouched down so she was level with his eye-line.

"Jer, I know you. I know you do care. Look, I can't pretend that I am pleased that you love him," Anna said softly, "but if being with Stefan is what will make you happy, then why don't you tell him how you feel?"

"Because he loves _Elena_!" He said angrily, sitting up. "He'll always love Elena. He doesn't need or want me."

Anna looked at Vicki as if to say 'help me out here', and Vicki sighed. The women rarely saw eye-to-eye on how Jeremy should live his life, but on this occasion, she was inclined to agree.

"Go to him. He needs you even if he doesn't know that yet. And you'll never be happy unless you tell him how you feel." Vicki added.

Jer's eyes flicked to Anna. She had been against his affection for Stefan from the start. Her eyes were moist, but she nodded in agreement with Vicki.

"You have to let us go, Jeremy." Anna said. "Because only then can you live your life the way you want to. We're only here because you want us to be. You control us. You must realize that - don't you?"

He frowned. That couldn't possibly be true, or could it? He thought about it for a moment. He recalled the times when either Anna or Vicki had appeared to him. He realized they were times when he felt guilty, alone, or like today, at a crossroads and unable to make a decision.

He closed his eyes tightly and frowned, he felt dizzy as though someone had pulled the rug out from under him. When he opened his eyes again he said firmly, "I miss you both, but I don't need you any more."

Anna put her hand to her mouth and blew him a kiss, then began to blur and fade. Vicki smiled as she blurred too. "Atta boy!" She said, "_There__'__s_ the Jeremy I knew and loved." And soon she faded and disappeared too.

Jer stood up and walked out of the room knowing he would never see them again. He put his hand on Stefan's door and opened it without knocking. The vampire was sat in a chair, his head in his hands. When Jeremy entered, he looked up with anger.

"I told you to leave me alone." He growled.

Jer walked towards him and he took his face in his hands. "I love you, Stefan." The vampire looked shocked. "And I want you to turn me." Stefan's eyes widened.

Jer stoked the skin of the vampire's cheek gently. "I will wait forever if that's what it takes for you to realize that you love me too." He looked at the handsome face under his hand and smiled, knowing that Stefan was scared and confused.

"I've thought about this, Stefan. In fact, I've thought about nothing else _but_ this for months now. I know you feel alone, but you don't have to be, because I want to spend my life with you. But to do that, I need you to turn me."

Stefan looked into Jeremy's eyes, his forehead creased with anxiety. "I'll never leave you," Jer continued. "I'll always be there for you. You'll never be alone again." He kissed the vampire softly, his lips pulling gently at Stefan's. "I know you came here because deep down you know that - because you need me too, you're just afraid to admit it."

Then Jeremy took a deep breath and said what he knew he had to. "So turn me and be with me - or get out of my house. Because I won't spend another day wanting you and not having you tell me that you want me too."

* * *

><p>Stefan didn't tell him - he showed him. He picked up the boy and put him in his bed. There was no need for words, when actions would do. In a blissful few minutes, clothes seemed to fall from each other's bodies and they were lost in rediscovering each other. Time passed in a blur of hands and lips.<p>

Stefan stopped sucking the boy's cock and turned him over. He kissed his way down Jer's back and busied his tongue between the cheeks of his ass. Jeremy rose up off the bed and pushed back against him, wanting and needing more pressure, so Stefan gently pushed his finger where his tongue had been. Jer moaned deliriously. He was lost to pleasure already, which made the vampire smile given he had barely started yet.

Stefan felt for Jer's cock. He lubricated his thumb in the boy's pre-cum and ran it over the sensitive glans. Eventually he slid his hand up and down the boy's shaft with a firm pressure, whilst continuing to thrust the finger from his other hand into him. Jer rocked back against the vampire, his body shuddering. He was as hard as a rock in Stefan's hand; the vampire loved to be the one who could make him feel this way.

Stefan could feel the heat of his own desire rise too. The boy had well and truly got under his skin. For the first time since their encounter back in the boarding house four years ago, he didn't just want the distraction of fucking - he wanted to make love to him.

"Jer, I want to be inside you." Stefan whispered in his ear and the boy nodded.

Jer raised himself up onto his hands and knees and angled his body so that the vampire could take hold of him by the hips. He felt Stefan slowly, carefully, position himself behind him. The vampire began to gently ease himself inside of him, pushing against his tight walls and feeling the boy part for him.

He felt Jer tense and saw him grip the sheets with his hands. He froze, resting inside of him. "You okay?" Stefan asked, himself a little breathless.

"Uh-huh. Good." Jer just about managed to say.

The sensation of having someone inside him was incredible, like no intimacy he had ever experienced. It took trust to a whole new level. And then there was just the sheer sense of it. It felt so damn good. He could feel the vampire filling him, making him want to come already. He forced himself to relax. He wanted this feeling to last.

"If you move against me, it will be easier for you." Stefan said, "You should control this. I know how you like control." He said smiling, teasing the boy slightly. Jer took his advice and tentatively began to move, pushing back against Stefan's body and moving the vampire deeper and deeper into him with each thrust.

A moan escaped Stefan's throat. His hands gripped firmly at Jer's hips. The boy was so tight. He loved the scent of him, the feel of his skin under his hands, the taste of him on his tongue.

"Oh, God!" Jer said groaning huskily - he was finding his confidence and pushing harder and faster, until the vampire's cock was deep inside him. Then suddenly Stefan began to move too. He ran his hand around the boy and slipped it underneath him to encircle his cock.

"Don't!" Jer said through gritted teeth. "If you touch me, I'm gonna go off."

Stefan smiled. "It's okay. Just relax." He withdrew his hand and pulled out of him. Jer looked around behind him.

"Why'd you stop?" He queried - upset in case he had done something wrong. Stefan reached out to touch his worried face.

"Stop fretting. I just want to see your face when you come, that's all." He said comfortingly. Jer relaxed again. Stefan placed a hand on his shoulder, and Jer willingly turned himself over. Stefan gently opened the boys legs and positioned his body between them, his hands underneath Jer's bent knees.

He loved the look the boy gave him now, the mixture of excitement, innocence, willingness, trust and love.

"You were wrong you know." Stefan said softly to him, stroking his legs.

"Wrong?" Said Jer, barely able to concentrate on words, so desperate was he for the vampire to be inside him again. "About what?"

"When you spoke to your ghosts. You said I didn't need you or want you. But you're wrong Jeremy, I do need you." Stefan said and he made the boy cry out with pleasure as he slid himself inside of him again, "I need you and I want you too. More than I ever realized."

As he said it, he thrust against the boy's prostate. Jer arched his back and came suddenly and loudly, crying out, "Oh Jesus fuck!". He rocked back onto his shoulders as the intense orgasm rippled through his body. Stefan smiled again. For the first time in a long time he was truly present. He allowed himself to let go of everything and just be in the here and now, with Jeremy - the boy who forced him to face himself.

Jer had said he wanted to walk through eternity with him, because that is what the vampire needed. Stefan thought that was the most selfless, kind, loving sentiment that anyone had ever expressed to him.

And with that thought, he gripped at Jer's thighs and came too.

* * *

><p>"'Oh Jesus fuck?'" Stefan laughed, mocking Jer's choice of words at his crucial moment as they lay in a tangle of limbs together.<p>

"Oh shut up." The boy smiled. "I wasn't exactly worrying about what I was saying." He gave the vampire a lopsided grin.

"Well if you want to keep this thing a secret, you may want to consider taking it down a decibel or two. I think they heard you in Texas." Stefan advised with a smile. He pulled the boy closer and looked into his eyes. Jer had a lazy arm slung over his chest and his fingertips stroked the vampire's collarbone. It felt good to have him there.

"Oh God, don't look at me like that. What have I done wrong now?" Stefan's smile become a frown.

"Nothing, it's just I'm not sure I want to keep this thing a secret." Jer said. "In fact, I'm sure of it."

"Well how is that going to work? If Klaus hears I am with you, won't it make him suspicious that Elena may still be alive?"

"Why? I don't think so." Jer turned away from him and leaned on his front. Stefan missed the warmth of the boy immediately. "He will think you missed Elena so much, that you went for the closest thing you could find to her. Me." Jer's eyes searched the vampire's. Stefan leaned down and pushed a strand of hair out of his face. He could see what was worrying the boy and it wasn't to do with Klaus. He always wore his insecurities on his sleeve.

"Well," said Stefan carefully, "if that's what we have to say to make him believe she is dead, then we will do it. But it's a shame, because I would want people to know it is because of who _you_ are and not for any other reason that I am with you." Jer's eyes looked at him searchingly, to see if that was the truth.

Stefan put his hand under the boy's chin and met his gaze dead on, "I'm here because I want to be, Jer." He smiled. "But what do we do about our other problem? I mean, if you want to let people know, then there are two people I can think of who we have to start with..."

"Leave them to me." Jer replied.

Stefan shook his head. "No way. You're not seeing them on your own. I'm going to go with you."


	18. Our Lives Together

**Hi Folks**

**Thank you so so much for reading along - you have no idea how much it means to me. **

**This is the penultimate chapter. I hope you enjoy it.**

**Please do read and review. Your reviews are better than birthdays, kittens and chocolate all rolled into one.**

**Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter AT silverfoxpunk.**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 18: Our Lives Together<strong>

"Hello. Wow. This is a surprise. Were we expecting you?" Damon said as he opened the door, a slight look of confusion on his face.

"Nope. But I hope this is a good time? I'm sorry to drop by unannounced." Jeremy said.

"No, no. Not at all - come in. Elena's in the kitchen unpacking. Well at least that's what she's _told_ me she's doing. If I find her reading magazines again, she's in trouble. She'll be pleased to see you." Damon walked in after Jeremy and closed the door behind them.

"Nice pad." Jeremy remarked as he looked around him. The place was filled with boxes, and had that new home smell. Every wall was magnolia. It seemed such an unlikely place to find Damon in. Jer was curious. Had his sister finally tamed him?

"Thanks... Elena!" Damon shouted. "You have a visitor."

Elena came out of the kitchen bearing a stanley knife. "Oh my God, Jer?" She ran towards him, but he backed off with his hands in the air.

"Sis, the knife!"

"Oops, sorry." She put it down on the ground, then flung her arms about her brother and gave him a kiss. "Why didn't you tell us you were coming? What are you doing here?"

"Why don't you let the man sit down before you give him the full cross-examination." Damon suggested, walking over to his wife and pulling her in to give her a kiss on the forehead.

"Oh yes, sorry." She said, putting her arms around him. "Do you want to take a look around the new place first?"

"Sure. It looks great."

"Drink?" Asked Damon.

"You got any soda?" Damon nodded and went through to the kitchen, leaving Elena to show Jer round their new house.

* * *

><p>As Damon cleared the table of their lunch plates, Jeremy thought again how oddly domestic it all was. Damon had even cooked for him.<p>

"So, why are you here, Jer? Are you just passing through?" Elena asked. "Not that we aren't pleased to see you of course."

Jer shook his head. He took another sip of his wine and savored the rich taste. It might be the last thing he got to do.

"I'm here because I have to tell you something." Damon came back in and saw the worried look on Elena's face.

"Come and sit somewhere more comfortable." Damon suggested, ushering them both into the lounge, which was the only room in the house with a full compliment of furniture. "This sounds like something that requires something a little stronger." Damon added wandering over to his whiskey decanter. Jer shook his head.

"No thanks. I have to drive."

"No!" Elena interjected miserably. "You'll stay with us. He can stay with us can't he, Damon?" Damon nodded, but Jer could see from the look on the vampire's face that he, unlike Elena, had picked up on the fact that Jer was subtly suggesting that they may not want him to stay. "There's plenty of room." She continued. "Don't worry about the boxes. I can clear a room and make up a bed in no time." Damon walked behind his wife and squeezed her shoulder.

"Elena, the man said he is driving tonight. He knows he is welcome if he wants to stay." He said cooly. He looked at the boy. "I'll just go and take care of the dishes." He said, delicately excusing himself.

Jer shook his head. "Damon, please stay. What I have to say concerns you too."

Jer looked at the vampire sadly. They had had a rocky road to friendship, but they had got there in the end. Now he was genuinely sorry that it would probably all be over. Jer swallowed and looked down at the wine glass in his hand. Suddenly he regretted eating so much; his stomach was churning.

Damon moved cautiously around the couch and sat down.

Jer wondered for the hundredth time what she would say? Elena was his dearest, sweetest friend. The one he turned to when he needed comfort, companionship and unquestioning love. They had grown up believing each other to be sister and brother and that bond remained unbroken despite everything that had happened to them since. They had shared grief, worry, love and pain. There was nothing that he would not do for her, or she for him. But this may be one step too far.

He wondered which of the five thousand scenarios he had pictured in his head on the drive up, would be the one that would come to fruition.

"Stefan knows you aren't dead." He spat out after after an awkward pause.

Damon looked worried, but said nothing. Elena shook her head from side to side.

"He lied on that day because he knew if he didn't, Klaus would kill Damon and probably the rest of us too out of sheer spite."

"No." Said Elena. "It's not true. Damon told me - Stefan thought I was dead. He was distraught. Crying."

"Yes, he was. But not because he thought Katherine was you. He was upset because he knew he had to leave, and that meant giving up on your love. He knew he was giving you to Damon. When he cried over Katherine's body, he was saying goodbye, to you."

For a moment, there was stunned silence. Damon's face, which up to that point had exhibited interest, now seemed to be fighting to stay calm. "How do you know this?" He asked.

Jer took a breath. "Because I have seen him since."

Elena immediately stood up. Damon caught her hand and tried to persuade her to sit down again - but she would not.

"If he knows I am alive, then we are in danger!" She said, sounding panicked. She began to pace. "Klaus will hunt me down... He'll slaughter everyone I love. You, me, everyone!"

Jer stood up and took her hand. "Sit down, sis." He took another breath. This was so hard. She looked into his eyes, her own trusting but scared. "Please, Elena. Sit down." He said again quietly, squeezing her hand. After a moment she did. He too returned to his seat.

"You don't need to worry about Klaus. He bought the whole thing - Stefan was the reason for that. He saved our lives that day. After Klaus and Stefan left the wedding, Klaus abandoned him. He didn't have any use for Stefan any more since he could no longer give him access to the doppelgänger. Klaus thought you were dead. He bought the lie."

Damon got up and went over to his whiskey and poured himself a large glass. Then he poured one for Elena and went over and gave it to her. She nursed it in her hands.

"I knew Stefan had saved us that day, so I went to look for him."

"Why?"

"He thought everybody hated him. I didn't think that was fair."

"After all he did, Jer, you went to look for him? I don't believe you would do something so irresponsible and dangerous!"

"What he did, he did because he _had_ to. I don't blame Stefan for any of it. He was under Klaus' compulsion and he had a seriously bad blood lust - he was screwed up. If it was Damon, Elena, could you have forgiven him?"

"Well, I don't think it's the same thing at all." She spluttered. "Did you know that Stefan slept with Caroline?" She added bitterly.

Jer looked at her darkly. "I don't think it's your place to tell me that. But as it happens, yes I did know. She told me. But Elena, do you blame him for seeking comfort? It was wrong, yes, but we had him locked up for weeks - we took away his freedom. We _never_ should have done that. Who are we to start slinging mud? And besides, Caroline's a big girl." He added with irritation, "If she didn't want to get involved, then she didn't have to. Even when I was compelled I believe I had some level of choice. She had the same one."

"Why are you defending him? I can't believe this!" Elena said angrily. "He messed up, Jer. You may think he's the big hero, but have you forgotten that when he heard that Damon and I were together, he tried to have him killed! Or Tyler - he wasn't fussy which! How can you defend that? Are you seriously asking me to agree that the two events cancel each other out? Because I don't think like that. Damon could be dead now and it would be all Stefan's fault."

Jer's eyes glinted with fire. "We _all_ could be dead Elena, don't you see that?" He paused for a moment, so that the anger would leave his voice. He settled on irritation instead. "Look, I don't think either of us are in a position to understand Stefan's thoughts at that moment. Especially not you. You broke his heart, Elena. Don't you get that?" He was feeling argumentative. His usual cool, unruffled personality suddenly developing a wrinkle.

Elena glared at him, downed her drink and put the glass down on the ground before she was tempted to throw it at him.

"If I may interrupt here," Damon said, "given we are talking about _my_ brother and it was _me_ who he tried to kill, I believe I am the most qualified to speak." The quarreling siblings turned to face him and drew their lips together. "Jer, forgive me if I am wrong, but I don't believe that you would go after Stefan for no reason at all, or just to say 'thank you'. So let's talk about what this is _really_ about. Elena, you might not want to hear this, but I think your baby brother has a little more than just a benevolent interest in my brother. So Houston, we have a problem."

Jer scowled, but he couldn't argue with the truth of Damon's words.

"What are you saying?" Elena looked at Damon with shock, the wobble in her voice undeniable. He refused to answer her. He looked at Jeremy, who met his eyes with irritation. "Jer? What does he mean?" She said snapping her head around to face him instead.

"Jeremy, are you in love with my brother?" Damon asked him calmly.

"But I thought... Well, I thought that _thing_ was just some horrible mistake...?" Elena said looking shocked and embarrassed. Her eyes were begging Jeremy for answers, begging him to deny it. He moved his eyes from Damon's to hers and away again.

He put down his glass of wine and went to sit beside her. He took her hands into his own. She was breathing hard and hot tears sprang to her eyes before he had even sat down.

"Elena, I never meant to hurt you..." He began. She yanked her hands away from him and scurried to stand up, knocking over her glass as she did so. She stumbled towards their mantlepiece and came to a halt and held on to it, her mouth open in horror and tears pouring from her eyes. Damon leaned down and picked up her glass. He toyed with it in his hands, watching her closely.

Jer's words now came twenty to the dozen as he hurried to explain it all, he wanted to say anything that would remove that total look of horror on her face.

"I swear I never wanted to feel the way I do, Elena. But Stefan unlocked something inside of me, and soon I realized that I wanted to make him happy because it made _me_ happy. Elena please!" He reached towards her, but she threw him off with a huge shout of "NO!" She half ran, half fell out of the room. Damon gave a sour look to Jeremy, then went after her.

* * *

><p>In their room Elena was sobbing on the bed. Damon walked in and gently closed the door behind them.<p>

"What are you crying for?" He said quietly. She turned around and snapped at him.

"What do you mean, what am I crying for? Why do you think?"

"Because you feel betrayed by Jeremy, or because you still love Stefan?" He said.

She stopped crying and began to sniff. She wiped her nose on her sleeve and he came and sat down beside her and took her hand.

"Look, I know you are angry and upset. But you can't use the fact that Stefan tried to kill me against him. He and I have tried to kill each other a million times before. And we probably will again. How many times have you tried to kill Jeremy?"

"None, but I am seriously thinking about it now."

He smiled and despite herself she laughed. He put his arm around her. She lay her head on his shoulder and sniffed back her tears.

"Come on, now." He said soothingly, rubbing her arm. "I could see it, you know. I could see it that day we found out about Jer. I knew he was trying to brush it off, but even then I could tell he was in deep." He kissed the crown of her head. "You heard him, Elena, Stefan makes him happy and I like to think that _I_ make _you_ happy too." He lifted her chin and gave her an ironic smile as he wiped the tears away from her face. "I understand that this is hard for you, I do - but don't they both deserve a chance at happiness? Especially if what Jer says about Stefan and Klaus is true." She said nothing, but looked at him through reddened eyes. She sniffed. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Jer's your family, Elena. Take it from me, you may not think it right now, but he's the most important thing you have. You may hate him today, but you need to let him know that you will still love him tomorrow. Just hear him out. Let him tell you how he feels."

She buried her head in his shoulder again and he kissed her once more and rubbed her arm comfortingly. He then shifted, stood and offered her his hand. "Let's go back down. I'll be with you, every step of the way."

* * *

><p>"I take it my baby brother returns your feelings?" Damon said, looking at Jer. Elena was sat on the couch sullenly, hugging her knees. Jer's eyes flicked back to her again.<p>

"You'd have to ask him that."

"My God, are you telling me it's serious?" Elena said.

"Elena, remember what we talked about..." Damon said soothingly. He put his hand out and rested it on her knee.

"I feel sick." She said. "Jer, I want you to leave."

Jer nodded. "Okay. I get that." He got up and exchanged a glance with Damon, who still seemed unsure how to process this news. Damon walked him to the front door and opened it.

"Just give her some time to calm down." Damon said. Jer nodded.

Damon opened his front door in order for Jer to leave, and they both came face to face with Stefan.

"Hello brother. Aren't you going to invite me in?" Stefan said.

* * *

><p>"Damon, do <em>not <em>let him in to this house!" Elena suddenly shouted, running into the corridor.

"Stefan." Jer hissed. "I _told_ you I wanted to do this on my own."

"Yes, you did. And I told you I wasn't going to let you." Stefan cast Jer a glance before returning his eyes to his brother.

"Damon!" Warned Elena, her face furious. Damon kept his eyes on Stefan.

"Do you share his feelings?" Damon asked Stefan, inclining his head towards Jeremy.

Stefan looked at Jer as he answered. "I think I could, one day." Jer returned Stefan's look, his chest rising and falling with emotion. Elena turned on her heel and retreated into the lounge, slamming the door behind her.

"If I let you into my house," Damon said, "you have to make things better. Not worse." His blue eyes glinted. Stefan looked at him and nodded solemnly. "Well, come in then, little brother."

Stefan stepped across the threshold and immediately looked at Jer. Damon looked between them and sighed. He hated being the third wheel. He turned and followed his wife and left them alone to speak to each another.

"You don't love me." Jer said as matter-of-factly as he could manage. Stefan reached out and touched his face.

"I need time, Jer. I need time to put aside that girl in there." He said nodding towards the closed door of the lounge. "I know I could love you. And if that is enough for you for now, then I promise you, I will make this right and we can begin seeing if there is an 'us'. Because I want to Jeremy, I really do."

Jer thought about it for a moment, then nodded once. He cast his eyes downwards, but Stefan lifted his chin. "Don't give up on me." Stefan said.

"I never will." Jer replied. Slowly the younger man let himself smile. Stefan returned it with one of his own. He pulled Jer into his arms and they hugged tightly. Stefan kissed the top of the boy's head and then moved out of his arms towards the closed door.

* * *

><p>Stefan knocked lightly and went inside. Damon was stood in the middle of the room, holding Elena in his arms, she was clutching to her husband like a limpet. Damon looked at Stefan with a 'see what you did?' look. Stefan went over to them both and put his hand gently on Elena's shoulder, but she merely shrugged him off and clutched on to Damon tighter. As much as Damon felt like making Stefan a tiny bit jealous, he knew that it was partly up to him to stop this spiral of events - or he and Stefan would never find any peace.<p>

He let his arms drop and eased Elena away from him. When he moved back, he ignored her unhappy look. "I'll just be next door." He said gently. He looked at Stefan and clearly told Elena, "I'll be listening. Just call me if you need me."

"I need you now." She complained. He took her hands and kissed them.

"No. What you need me to do, is to leave."

Stefan caught Damon's arm as he went to step past him. "Thank you."

"Don't make me regret it." Damon warned. Stefan nodded gratefully and let him go.

* * *

><p>When Damon stepped outside, Jer was still in the corridor, looking lost. Damon sighed. The boy was completely out of his depth and he actually felt sorry for him. He walked up to him and put his arm around his shoulders, leading him in to their kitchen.<p>

"I don't suppose you need me to tell you how crazy I think you are."

Jer shook his head.

"Well, for the record, I think you did a brave thing coming here today." Damon said, sitting Jer down, popping the cap off a bottle of beer and putting it in front of him.

"I'm driving." Jer said.

"No you're not."

Jer looked up with a quizzical expression on his face.

"I want you to stay here tonight."

"No. No!" Jer said shaking his head definitively.

"Hear me out," Damon didn't often drink beer, but what the hell. He opened one for himself and took a swig, "this is going to be hard for her, you know that. There's a lot for her to digest." Damon sat down. The boy picked up his beer. He just seemed to need something to do with his hands. "If you go home now, she will just bury all this. She needs you to be here. And I think _you_ need to be here too."

Damon let his cool blue eyes drift over Jer's face; the boy was thinking about what he said. Eventually he nodded slowly as he peeled the label from the neck of his beer.

"It's quiet in there." Jer said eventually. Damon didn't reply. They sat together in silence and drank their beers.

* * *

><p>"Because, Stefan, I think you are doing this to get back at me!" Elena said patting the flat of her hand on her chest and then pointing to the corridor outside. "He's the one who is going to get hurt!"<p>

"He's a lot stronger than you give him credit for, Elena. I suppose it wouldn't be honest of me not to say in that one respect, he reminds me of you."

"Oh God, don't _do_ that!"

"Do what?"

"Compare us, it makes me want to be sick." She sat back down and configured herself into a knot - all elbows, knees and limbs.

Stefan sighed and sat down opposite her. He took a breath. "I've stood here and listened to you tell me for five minutes straight how you think I will hurt your brother, and that you are mad at me because you are worried about him. But what exactly is it that you don't like Elena, the fact that I will 'hurt' Jeremy, or the fact that Jeremy isn't you?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" She snapped.

"You're not exactly thrilled about me moving on though are you?" She didn't answer, he sighed. "Look, I get it. When I heard you were with Damon, I know how I reacted."

"My God, Stefan, what you did to us was so sick." She said digressing.

He nodded ruefully. "I know. I temporarily lost my mind, Elena and for that I am truly sorry. One day, I will find a way to make it up to you. To _all_ of you."

"It was twisted Stefan and completely beneath you. I thought I knew you, but the person I loved would never have done that."

"Then maybe you didn't really know me the way you thought you did." Stefan looked at her and she held his gaze. The silence ran on. Eventually he got up and began to pace.

"I had to take the morning after pill you know." She said. "Do you know how humiliating that was?"

"Don't you know how much I wish I could take that day back? Everything I did to you that was wrong? I _loved_ you. I never wanted to hurt you."

"You slept with Caroline, Stefan. How was that about loving me?" She said quietly.

He turned to her, shocked.

"Oh don't worry, your precious boyfriend didn't tell me." She continued. "It was Care herself. She is just sick about it now. Which is more than I can say for you."

Stefan raced to her with vampire speed, and picked her up by her arms and shouted. "You didn't want me Elena! You didn't even look for me! You left with Damon to go to some stupid tropical island as soon as I was gone, and you fucked him for _weeks_!"

In a second he found himself lying flat on his back on the other side of the room, Damon had his hands on his chest and his red, veined, vampire eyes were staring down at him.

"I warned you, Stefan." Damon growled.

"Get _off_ of me!" Stefan hissed back, his own face turning, he grabbed Damon's wrists. It was a stalemate. Suddenly out of the corner of his eye Stefan saw Jer in the doorway looking at them both. The boy looked disappointed. He could put up with anything, except that look that Jer was giving him now.

He returned his gaze to Damon and fought hard to calm down. Eventually his face changed back to human. "Damon, please get off of me. I'll just talk. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have touched her."

"No, you're done."

"Damon. It's okay." Elena said walking over to them both, Damon's eyes didn't leave his brother, but he relaxed his aggressive stance a little. She touched Damon's shoulder gently as he had hers earlier, and he got to his feet and moved away. He left the room, dragging Jer with him. Stefan's gaze remained on Jer until he was out of sight.

Now he turned slowly back to look at Elena, who stood above him with her arms folded. She reached down and offered him her hand.

"Look. I think we both need a Time Out. Take a walk with me?" She asked. He took her offered hand and got up, brushing himself down. She went over and tried to right the couch that he and Damon had sent flying backwards. Stefan helped her with his fingertips and tipped it back into place.

"Let's go to the garden." She said.

* * *

><p>He followed her out of the house and into their garden. At first glance, it seemed to be very small, just a winding path that lead to a tiny enclosed terrace, which contained a table and two chairs. He don't know why those two iron chairs annoyed him, but they did. Perhaps it was because he could picture her and his brother sat outside sharing breakfasts together laughing over the morning papers. His face became grim.<p>

In front of the wall was a large honeysuckle bush. Elena pushed it back and he saw that a wooden door was semi hidden behind it. She opened the door and he followed her through. He raised an eyebrow when he got to the other side. So _this_ was why Damon had bought her this house.

"You always wanted a garden like this." He said quietly. She nodded.

"I know. We have a well and a Koi pond, and over there is a secret garden, which is just like the one I just to dream about as a kid. I'll show you."

He walked quietly behind her. An odd mood descended on him, it was jealousy mixed with happiness that she had got what she had always wanted. She showed him the 'secret garden' entrance which was hidden in a box hedge. She opened the door into a beautiful, tiny formal garden, with a small fountain in the centre. She sat down on the fountain's edge and he sat next to her, watching the water and listening to the tinkling sound it made. Out here it was so peaceful. Both of them grew quiet.

"You are right about the island." She finally said.

"No, I shouldn't have said that, I was out of order, I-" He began, but she silenced him with a hand.

"No, you were right. I did treat you badly. And I am sorry for that. I was grieving and I was scared, and he had loved me for so long - I just couldn't keep him out of my heart any more. I turned to him when I was lonely. I'm sorry. You deserved better than that."

He leaned forwards and looked at his hands resting on his knees. "I knew you loved him." He said quietly. "I knew you loved him for a long time before then. I never wanted to admit it - and you both fought so hard to ignore it - but I knew I would lose you eventually. I can't blame you for what you did back then. I _don__'__t_ blame you for it." He added softly. He shrugged. "You had no idea if I would ever come back. I knew I couldn't let Damon die from that bite, but I think I also knew what leaving meant."

She nodded slowly, not in agreement, but as if she was considering his words. "I'm sorry I hurt you." She said again quietly. "Stefan, can I ask you something?"

"Mm-hmm."

"How did you find out about Damon and I?"

"Remember when you came into my room and Damon carried you out?" She nodded. "Well a napkin fell on my bed. I was going to throw it away and then..." She closed her eyes and grimaced.

"And then you saw what was written on it." She finished for him. He nodded, his head hung down. She turned to him on the bench. "Stefan, I'm so sorry. I never would have wanted you to find out like that. I wanted to tell you."

"It's a long time ago now." He said.

"I know, but still."

She looked at him, but he didn't return her gaze, he was kicking a pebble around with his shoe.

"Are you hungry?" She asked him suddenly. "We have blood?"

"Is it human?" He asked.

"Er, I think we have both kinds. I can check." He nodded.

"Yes please, if you don't mind. I only have animal blood now." He said.

"Wait here, I'll go get it."

* * *

><p>Walking back into the house she found Jer and Damon in the kitchen. They were eating chips and drinking their way through a mountain of beers.<p>

"Everything alright out there?" Damon asked with his mouth full.

"And in here?" She replied. She opened the freezer and looked inside. "Which drawer has the animal blood?"

"Ugh. Right at the back at the bottom. Emergency visitor supply only." Damon grumbled.

She took what she needed and walked towards the door again.

"Elena?" Jer said. "Don't be mad at him. Be mad at me."

She turned and walked outside.

* * *

><p>She handed Stefan a couple of bags of the blood and he took them gratefully and drank them both down.<p>

"Elena, I will always love you. One day, I hope it will get easier not to be 'in love' with you." He said quietly. She nodded.

"I know." She said in a very quiet voice. "Please, I know you think I was being jealous back there and maybe I was a bit, but I meant what I said earlier. Don't hurt Jer. He's been through so much. All this, it's a big deal to him. I can tell he's in love with you. I don't think he's ever really been in love before. He thought he was, but I can see with you already it's different."

Stefan put the empty blood bags down carefully beside him. "I don't want to hurt him. I have genuine feelings for him you know. I hope one day you will be okay with that because I don't want to lose either of you from my life. Nor Damon." He added. He paused for a moment then he added, "He wants me to turn him you know." She looked at him shocked. "Oh don't worry, I haven't said yes. Not yet anyway."

She nodded and looked away. They sat in silence for a moment.

"You never thought Damon would actually kill Tyler did you." She stated suddenly. He shook his head.

"I think I always knew he wouldn't really be able to go through with it. And I knew Tyler wasn't truly strong enough to take him on. Even if he had bitten him, I'd have gotten more blood from Klaus to cure him."

She nodded and looked up at the sky. Clouds were forming. The air had that heavy, oppressive quality it often had before it rained. She had a headache coming, she would have to find Advil.

"Shall we go inside?" She said.

"Okay."

She stood up. He knew as he followed her out of the secret garden with the empty blood bags in his hand, that they would in time, be able to forgive each other. And that they could perhaps, one day, be friends again.

When he walked inside the kitchen, Damon was sharing a dirty joke with Jer, who was rocking on his chair laughing. Both of them seemed quite far along the route to getting drunk.

"Guess I'm driving then." Stefan said. "Jer, come on, we should go."

"No, Stef. I'm staying."

Stefan looked at Damon as if to say 'was that your brilliant idea?'. Elena frowned, but then her frown eased.

"You can stay too, Stefan. Why don't you both drive home in the morning?" She said, then walked away. Jer got up to follow her.

"Elena. Where are you going?"

"To make up your rooms."

"Rooms plural, or room singular?"

She glared at him. "Plural. I may not be able to change this, but it doesn't mean to say I like it." She said. He pulled a face, but she reached out and took his hand. "Jer, you know I love you. But I need time. This is major. I don't even know if you're happy. Are you?"

His hand curled around hers. "I am happy, Elena."

She nodded. The frown on her face not quite gone.

"Then I guess I will try to be okay with this. But I still need time. Do you get that?"

He nodded. She was about to turn away, when he spun her back into his arms, giving her a huge bear hug. "I love you, Elena."

"I love you too, Jer. But sometimes I want to kill you, you know?" He smiled.

"Yeah, I know."

* * *

><p>In the morning Damon knocked on his brother's door and opened it saying, "Warmed blood, courtesy of my wi... Jesus! Really?"<p>

Jer quickly clambered off Stefan and they both looked sheepish at being caught. "Jer," Damon whispered, "you really want her to find you like this? Put your damn clothes on and get downstairs." Damon dumped the tray with the blood bags on it to the ground and closed the door hard.

Stefan bit his lip as he looked at Jeremy. Jeremy broke into giggles. Stefan began shushing him. In no time at all, they were back under the covers.

* * *

><p>On the drive back Stefan couldn't leave him alone. Jer had to pull over twice, because Stefan kept doing things to him that meant he didn't trust his driving. The second time, they decided to give in to it entirely and called into a motel. As soon as they fell into the room, they began ripping each other's clothes off. Stefan ran his hands over Jer's muscled pecs, around his back and over his ass. The boy was kissing him like a tax on it had just been lifted. Jer's tongue slid over every inch of his own, and he pressed his erection hard against his.<p>

They fell back on the bed and Jer linked their hands above Stefan's head.

"You gonna leave me?" He asked nonchalantly. Stefan shook his head - a grin on his face. "You gonna walk away and brood about my sister?" Again, Stefan shook his head. "Okay then, you better brace yourself for the time of your life." Jer joked and he and Stefan rolled over and over in a play fight so active, they broke the bed.

* * *

><p>Damon curled Elena into his arms. "You're quiet tonight." He said. "Aren't you going to complain that I haven't booked the contractors yet?" She shook her head and curled closer onto his chest.<p>

"Nope."

"Or that I really don't care if we go for Heather or Duck Egg blue in this room?"

She shook her head almost absently.

"Or that you I lost those fabric samples you asked me to look at?" That got her attention. She looked at him.

"Really?" She brushed it off, "Oh never mind about any of that." She said. "I was just thinking about Stefan actually."

"Oh fabulous, that's _just_ what I wanted to hear..."

"No, not like that! I mean I was just wondering how he knew to compel Jer? I mean, why choose him and not Ric?"

"Hmm, I guess you'd have to ask him that." Damon settled back on the bed, with has hands behind his head.

She moved around so that she was lying on her front and he looked across at her.

"Do you think he thought Jer was lonely? I mean, even though he was with Bonnie?"

"I think Jer had a _lot_ of powerful women in his life and perhaps, Stefan saw that he felt he was getting lost in the mix. Stefan singled him out for a reason. I think you know that." She went a little quiet at that. "And plus, Klaus wanted him to chose someone who would fuck things for everyone." Damon concluded.

Eventually she said. "Do you think they are sleeping together?"

"Um..." Oh bloody hell, he did _not_ want to get drawn into that.

"Yeah, I think so too -" She said when his lack of answer served as one. She lay back next to him and stared up at the ceiling. "God, it really is serious between them, isn't it?"

"I think it might be. Does it bother you that Jer's with a man?"

She shook her head. "No. It's not that. It's just that I know Jer. He only gives himself up to people he is really into. People he thinks he loves. He was never short of offers, if you know what I mean."

Damon nodded. "I can see that. The boy's got looks. It runs in the family."

She smiled at the compliment, but then grew serious again. "I just worry that Stefan will break his heart."

"Ha, one minute you are fit to kill them both, now you are playing Agony Aunt!" Damon turned over and began to nuzzle her neck, he stroked his favorite place on her belly.

"Stefan's not going to hurt him, Elena. If he decides this thing isn't for him, he will let him down gently. You know that." Damon began kissing her side. He flipped over onto his front as he got more passionate about what he was doing to her.

"I know, but still. I guess I just worry about him."

"Elena?"

"What?"

Damon looked up at her. "As much as I enjoy discussing our siblings' sex lives, can you at least have the decency to _try_ and look like you have noticed me attempting to seduce you?"

She smiled. "I'm so sorry, my love. Did I hurt your feelings?" She said with fake sincerity. He pouted and nodded. She lay back again. "Well, carry on then. I will do my best to appreciate it."

* * *

><p>And appreciate it she did. Damon grabbed her thighs and pinned her down, making her giggle and shriek as he pretended to bite her all over. When he reached her lips, she kissed him wholeheartedly, and they tumbled over together in the bed. He held her high up above him, propped under her arms and she wriggled and tried to escape.<p>

"You'll stay up there until you learn how to behave like a proper wife." He said. She let her mouth fall open and her eyes opened wide. She wriggled like a demon to get out of his clutches, but he had her where he wanted her. She realized that if she moved her head around, that her hair which was hanging down on his chest, would tickle him.

"Argh, argh! Stop it, stop it! Okay you win!" He said squirming. He bent his elbows and as soon as he lowered her down she began to pummel him. "Ouch! I married a crazy woman! Somebody help me!" He smiled as she fought with him and she rolled over and pulled him down on top of her. He sat astride her and lowered himself in for a particularly delicious kiss, but just as she was beginning to warm to the idea of taking things further, he looked suddenly serious. He reached down and moved strands of hair away from her face.

"You know I'll do anything I can to make you happy Elena, don't you? I never want to hurt you again." He said.

"I know." She said smiling. She reached up to him to try and kiss him again, but he pulled back.

"And if you ever need to talk about what happened that day, you know between you and Tyler, I want you to know that you can talk to me about it." She looked away from him, the memory causing her instant pain, but she returned her gaze to him and nodded.

"I know that too."

He nodded. "I heard what you said, about the morning after pill." She began to tear up, he took her face in his hands and kissed both her cheeks and her lips lightly. "You did what you had to. I'm sorry you had to it - but you mustn't feel embarrassed or guilty about it." He said. "It was the right thing to do. For you and for Tyler."

"I know." Suddenly real tears began to fall. He brushed them away with his thumbs.

"What is it, my love?" He said.

"It's just I wasn't about to get pregnant to him, when I knew I could never..." She petered out.

"Never get pregnant by me?" He finished for her. She nodded and continued to cry. "Oh, sweetheart, stop crying now." He climbed off of her and settled down beside her instead, pulling the covers up and tucking her under them. She turned into him and he stroked her face and pushed her hair over her shoulder. "My beautiful wife. Do you know how amazing I think you are? You're my world you know." He kissed her forehead and waited for her to calm herself. "Listen, I thought it was too early to talk about this, but now it's come up, I guess this is as good a time as any. Elena, my love, do you think I bought this great big house just for the two of us?" She looked confused. "I have no right and no wish, to rob you of the experience of having a family of your own one day, if that's what you want. I've never really wanted kids before I met you, but now... Oh, maybe I'm just getting old and soft."

She put her hands on his face and smiled through her tears. "By your standards, you're not really old and you will never, ever be soft." He raised his eyebrows suggestively. She sighed with a smile in her eyes, but then she returned to the conversation. "But are you serious about us having children?"

"Well, you know. If and when. But yeah, I can see it happening. We can find a way." She smiled a little nervously. He ran his hand over her belly and rested it there. "I can have a real excuse to look after you then."

"You look after me now." She said.

"_And_ your boobs will get bigger. So it is all good." He said with a grin on his face. She laughed and playfully punched his chest.

"Ow." He fell onto his back. "Vicious woman. I don't know if I will survive long enough to get to parenting."

"Oh, I think you'll make it." She said. She curled up under his arm and lay her head back on his chest. He stroked her.

"Wife." He said.

"Husband." She replied.

"Mom." He said.

"Pops." She replied.

"Oh, God no! _Definitely_ too soon." And she laughed heartily at that, and then fell into his embrace.


	19. Light

**Last chapter folks. It has a fractured timeline, so watch out for those headings. I hope it's not too confusing.**

**I want to thank you all for your commitment, comments and staying power! This will be my last long story for a while. If you like my writing, be sure to follow my other stories too, Damon/Liz (Under the Influence - my personal favorite), Damon/Elena (The Delena Series) and I will be embarking on another collab soon too. Don't forget to Author Alert or follow me on Twitter AT Silverfoxpunk.**

**Anyway, back to this story. **

**Once-upon-a-time Stefan arrived on the Boarding House doorstep in a pool of his own blood. This chapter tells you how he got there... It also is a lot about forgiveness.**

**If you have enjoyed this story, please do review and let me know. **

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 19: Light<strong>

**Five Years Ago**

"Son, you can do what you like to me, but you're in God's house now. And he's going to be royally pissed if you spill any more blood on his floor." Stefan released the priest from the choke-hold as suddenly as he had grabbed him, and the old man rubbed his sore throat with liver-spotted hands. He made his way over to a pew which he leaned against whilst he caught his breath; the red mark left by the vampire's arm already fading. The priest had fierce brown eyes which had yet to show the age that his salt and pepper hair hinted at. Despite the confidence of his voice, his hands were shaking.

"What kind of language is that for a priest?" Stefan mocked.

"The kind of language the situation requires." The man replied, Stefan detected a native Irish accent carefully disguised under an adopted Boston one. The priest was wringing his hands, perhaps an attempt to hide the shaking. His rubbed his gnarled knuckles over one another. "Son, I take it you are here to send me to my maker, so I find myself wondering, what's stopping you?"

Stefan thought about the reason he was here and remembered Klaus' last words to him, _'Tear it up and have some fun!'_. He had grinned widely before he smashed his way through the twenty foot high stained glass window and landed like a cat on the altar. He attacked the woman he had found kneeling there before her scream had a chance to leave her throat.

It felt good, the power, the chaos, the killing. It always did. Two people had tried to run, but he had dropped them before they even managed to reach the door. So why hadn't he killed the priest?

"Because I like you." Stefan replied flippantly.

At the time Stefan had made his entrance, the old man had been at the back of the church on his knees, scraping up drips of candle wax off the floor with a razor blade. When the vampire had begun his attack, the man had found his feet with the blade still in his hand. Despite his preoccupation with the others, Stefan had spotted the priest right away, not only because of his clothes, but because of his stance. He knew how to handle himself.

When Stefan had attacked the woman at the altar, the old man's first reaction had been to rush him - holding the razor blade with sudden malice. It was only when Stefan had ripped the woman's throat out and let the blood drip down his chin, that the priest had stopped his advance. Stefan had frozen him into inactivity with a single look from his blood-red, veined eyes. He genuflected and begun to pray; not for himself, but for the soul of the departed woman who lay dead in the vampire's arms. Stefan had dropped her unceremoniously to the floor, then tore up the aisle and despatched the remaining occupants of the church. He had them subdued and the priest in a strangle-hold in under a minute. But there was something about the steel in the old man's eyes that had given him reason to pause.

And now, here they were. Facing each other across the aisle as the dust settled.

"I'd like to say the feeling was mutual, son," the priest said, risking a glance towards the altar at the body of the stricken woman lying prone, her plump fingers sticky with the flow of her own blood, "but in all good conscience, I would find that hard to do." Stefan warmed immediately to the man's drier-than-dry sense of humor.

"You didn't need to hurt those people you know." The priest continued, "Janette was a good woman. Well, maybe not a _good_ woman, but certainly a faithful servant of this church."

There it was again; that same dry wit coming through. Perhaps it was a response to stress, or maybe it was a nod to his cultural roots, but whatever it was, it made Stefan want to kill him just a little bit less. "She didn't deserve to die." The priest added more harshly, "And I don't deserve to be killed by you either."

"I never met a priest who didn't deserve to die." Stefan sneered with sudden bitterness. The old man looked at him, his voice now filled with the steel that a moment ago had only been in his eyes.

"I didn't say I don't deserve to die. I said that _you_ don't deserve to kill me. God knows we have all sinned; me more than others, but I won't be judged by you. I'll not be condemned by a demon."

Stefan merely smiled. He used his vampire speed to sit down on the pew on the opposite side of the aisle. He sprawled himself out, taking up as much space as possible, his body language as disrespectful and arrogant as he could possibly make it.

"I'm no demon." He replied as he tossed a kneeler onto the floor and put his feet up on it.

"I beg to differ."

"Does it make it easier for you not to think of me as a man?" Stefan said provocatively, his red eyes sparkling.

"No. It just makes me more sad." The priest suddenly looked uncomfortable, as though the adrenaline had left his body and age had seeped back in its place. "May I sit?" He asked the vampire. Stefan stretched out his hand as if to say 'go ahead' and the priest slowly lowered himself onto the pew opposite his foe with a sigh. The old man straightened his cardigan and then winced at the pain in his hands. "Damned arthritis." He said, flexing his fingers. "The curse of the retired boxer."

"I knew it!" Stefan said animatedly. "I _knew_ you were a fighting man." He shifted on his own seat so that his elbows rested on his knees. The blood from his kills swept through his body, causing his leg to judder and his eyes to burn bright.

The old man looked visibly troubled. "Once a fighter, always a fighter." He said, putting his hands in his pockets. "So what now, son? I take it you haven't come to make your confession."

Stefan chuckled. "That would take a while." He closed his eyes and rolled his head from side to side, enjoying the delicious rush of the blood pumping him up and making feel he could do anything. His body vibrated with it, as it had done since he had started this delirious journey with Klaus. In the brief time since he had been with the hybrid things had changed for him. First he had fought so hard against it, played his role as reluctant captive - but that was before he remembered how good it was to revel in his desires, no longer to fight the uphill battle against who and what he was. Klaus had taught him to relish it. He taught him other things too. He loved him for that...

"So why are you here, slaughtering good people? I'm not a greedy man, but it is not like I'm turning them away at the door; I don't appreciate you picking off what's left of my congregation."

Stefan opened his eyes in a flash and licked a lethal incisor, the priest's eyes followed the movement carefully.

"I like the taste of hypocrite." He said.

"Then I take it you don't believe in forgiveness?"

"I don't believe in much any more." The vampire replied. He thought back to the days when he had. He'd been to church, knelt at the right time - said the right words. That had been a long time ago.

"So tell me, why are we here?"

Stefan ignored the question, rolled his neck and got to his feet. "I know. Let's fight!" He said, taking up a boxing stance. He was hyper.

The old man looked even more troubled. "What exactly _is_ your poison, son?" He asked. "Is it the blood? Is that what it is that makes you like this?"

"Come on old man. On your feet. Show me some moves." Stefan began to shadow box, moving in the ring that existed only inside his head. The priest's brow furrowed deeper.

"I've been around, son. I know an addict when I see one."

"Fight goddamn you!" Stefan shouted suddenly, grabbing the priest by the lapels of his cable knit. He yanked the man to his feet. Before Stefan knew what was happening, he felt a cross burning into his forehead - he dropped the man and jumped back with a shriek. Crosses weren't supposed to affect him!

"You said fight. You didn't specify how." The priest said cooly, returning his rosary to his pocket. Stefan's anger disappeared and he replaced it with laughter.

"You're quick old man. I'll give you that! Where are you from, friend?" The way he said 'friend', suggested he meant anything but.

"Roslindale."

"_Originally._ Kerry? Limerick?" The old man sat back down again. He was more frail than he had lead Stefan to believe. From the look on his face it was clear he didn't like this line of questioning.

"Clare. Not that it's any of your business."

"A boxer from County Clare."

"That's right."

"You see, I think there is more to you than that. The way you handle yourself - not quite a boxer's instincts. More like a scrapper, a street-fighter, a bodyguard - of the private kind. You see, I know all about instincts. So I know what kind they are when I see them." He looked the man in the eyes and suddenly began to mimic him, "_You_ _wouldn't happen to be anything to do with the 'ra', now would you, son?_" He captured the old man's barely-there dialect to a T. The priest didn't answer, but the set to his jaw told the vampire he had hit a nerve.

"Came to America to pass the hat around for 'the cause', _did ya son?_" Stefan continued in his mocking voice.

"You don't know what you are talking about, _son_." The priest said, his voice resonant and clear. "Don't you going throwing accusations around when you don't know what you are talking about."

"Is that a threat?" Stefan smirked. He sat back down, but this time in the pew directly behind the old man. He leaned forward so his mouth almost tickled the man's ear. "Well, well. This day has turned out to be very interesting after all. And crosses - well, that's an oldie but a goodie. I haven't encountered that problem before."

"Perhaps you've never met anyone who has truly believed in their power before." The priest muttered.

As soon as he had finished speaking, Stefan got up and jumped twenty foot into the air over to the altar where he landed heavily. The gold-ware on the altar cloth that hadn't already been knocked to the ground, fell to it now, clattering on the flagstone with a harsh metallic sound. Stefan picked up the dead woman, heaving her bulk into his arms until he had her in a dancing hold. Her head lolled grotesquely to one side, her mouth frozen open with hazel eyes fixed on a vanishing point she would never look away from.

Stefan mimicked the old man's voice once more, exaggerating the lilting Southern Irish tones until they became a parody. "_Come on Janette_," he said, "_wontcha dance a jig with me?_" Blood pulsed through him. He was feeding off the energy of the dead; their passions, their fears. He could hear their stories being whispered in his ears.

Stefan was too busy with his dance-macabre to notice the old man bearing down on him. The priest waited for the vampire to swing around towards him once again, then he thrust as hard as he could. The piece of wood he had broken away from the pew slipped deep into the vampire's back, right beside the vertebrae.

Stefan fell heavily to the floor, clutching at the stake deep in his back - his cry rent the air.

The priest whispered in his ear. "Once a fighter, always a fighter, my son."

* * *

><p>Klaus heard Stefan's scream from the road and hoped he would not enter the church to find him dead and gone, for that would ruin his plans altogether. He pushed the heavy wooden doors open as though they were nothing. He strolled down the empty aisle and found the vampire on the ground beside the altar, a stake in his back and his eyes closed. Klaus cast his eyes around quickly but the priest was gone, for which he was grateful. That man had genuine power. He had kept his eye on him for years.<p>

Klaus lowered himself to his knees, pulled out the stake in Stefan's back and was relieved when he whimpered.

"They'll be sure to take you into the house now." Klaus said to him. "That priest is the real deal. You'll bleed and heal slowly. Remember what we talked about. You know what to do." Stefan gurgled, which Klaus took to be acknowledgment. He heaved Stefan's bloody body into his arms and forced his eyes open so he could compel him. "You will do as we have discussed. Divide and conquer, Stefan. And remember, deliver the girl to me whichever way you can. You'll only remember your name and your task. Now, get on with it. Bring me my doppelgänger!"

* * *

><p>When Stefan woke up he didn't recognize where he was. He only knew that like a trapped animal, he had to get out of there. He tried to flee at vampire speed, only to realize too late that he was chained to a bed. The chains yanked him back down and he hissed, growled and jerked against them like a wild beast.<p>

"How long will those chains hold him?" Bonnie asked Caroline, the worry in her voice clearly evident. The blonde looked at her friend and mirrored her concern.

"Not long enough. We have to get help."

"Care, I've put two spells on him already - but you can see what he's like. Who on earth can keep him here?"

"Someone who is stronger than him. Older than him."

Bonnie looked confused. "Who?"

"His maker." Caroline replied.

"_Katherine_? You have to be joking. Besides, she'll be long gone by now. How would we even find her?"

"We have to do something. You've seen for himself, he's doesn't seem to know us and he's been bleeding since he got here."

"I don't understand that, shouldn't he have healed?" Bonnie remarked. Both girls shared a look of confusion.

Stefan roared again and pulled so hard on one of his leg chains that the bed moved. They both jumped.

"What about if we inject him with vervain?" Bonnie suggested, her heart racing so fast she could actually hear it.

"I guess... Okay, good plan. I'll go find some."

"No! Don't leave me here with him!" Bonnie grabbed her friend, genuinely scared.

"Well you go then."

"I'm not leaving you." Bonnie said.

"Well if we can't get Katherine and we can't leave, what _can_ we do?"

"Call Ric. And Jeremy too."

* * *

><p><strong>Back further... The Day Damon was Dying and Stefan left with Klaus<strong>

"It's a party, Stefan. Even you must have heard of the concept."

Stefan ignored the snide remark and repeated his question. "Yes, I can see that. But why are we here?"

"Because, dear boy. You have forgotten everything you used to know. And I want to teach you a thing or two that perhaps you don't."

"Such as...?"

"Remembering how to have fun to begin with." Klaus replied. He walked through the crowded corridor and took a drink out of the hand of a girl. When she complained he leaned forward and compelled her. "You really don't like that woman over there. You are going to start a fight." He moved away, and Stefan curled his lip in disgust.

"What did you do that for?" He asked.

"We need to feed you up, Stefan. You are looking a little pale."

"Klaus..."

"She will start a fight, and we can move through the crowd feeding at will. It's called a distraction."

"I'm aware of the concept."

"Drink this." Klaus said handing him the drink he had purloined.

Stefan took a sip and then spat it out. "It burns!" He said, fighting not to let his vampire eyes and teeth come.

"That's because it's laced with vervain." Klaus smirked.

"Why would they do that?"

"Because this town has a vampire problem, just like Mystic Falls. And so the vampires have had to learn to deal with the various methods used to detect them."

Stefan put his hands on Klaus' chest and pushed him against a wall. The hybrid looked at him coolly. Stefan carefully removed his hands. "Are you telling me that there are vampires who can work around vervain _other_ than Originals?" He said.

Klaus smiled. "Oh Stefan, your world is so small, isn't it? Time I changed that. Let's have some fun." He turned around and took the hand of a pretty girl who was chatting to her friend. "Mind if I borrow your lovely friend here? I promise I'll bring her right back." The girls looked at each other and laughed.

"You can, _if_ you leave me with _your_ friend to keep me company." She replied, eyeing Stefan appreciatively.

Klaus took the hand of the girl he was interested in, turned towards Stefan and placed a hand on his chest. "Well dear boy. Time to have fun."

* * *

><p><strong>Present Day<strong>

Jer turned over in his sleep. His hand found Stefan's chest and instinctively he moved closer. Stefan shifted his arm so it lay across the boy's shoulders and he drew him in. He stroked Jer's arm and leaned down to kiss his hair.

Jer stirred and muttered sleepily, "Hold that thought. I'll be right back."

"What thought?"

Jer tilted his face up and kissed Stefan's lips lightly, giving him a sleepy smile. "That one." Ever since the boy had discovered he was a morning person, he'd made the most of it.

Stefan watched, smiling, as Jer jumped out of bed and scampered to the bathroom, cursing the cold wooden floor beneath his feet.

The vampire lay back against the pillows with his hands behind his head. He wondered whether today would be the day he heard from Tyler. Jer said it probably would be, as the final paperwork on the trust fund had been sent to Carol Lockwood the day before. Jer had commented sarcastically that Carol couldn't keep news from her son 'a moment longer than was necessary', which was definitely true. And besides, when it came to human interaction, Stefan trusted Jer's instincts; the boy was accurate to the point of spookiness.

Tyler had spent the last few years working his way around the world. He'd moved from Auckland to Johannesburg, Hanoi to Jerusalem. Now he was making his way through India. He had found he was rather good at photography, and word had reached Stefan that he was going to return home, go back to school, and turn his hobby into a career. It was the kind of news that Stefan had been waiting to hear.

Right now though, Stefan was more interested in matters closer to home. He could hear Jer brushing his teeth and he called out to him, "Hurry up, I'm getting cold."

"You're _always_ cold." Jer shouted back with a mouth full of toothpaste. Stefan smiled. They both knew his well-worn excuses for being 'warmed up'.

* * *

><p>"Dude, it's too much, I can't possibly accept it." Tyler was calling from a village just outside of Goa. From the noise in the background it sounded like he was surrounded by kids.<p>

"Yes, you can, and you will. Tyler I've seen the pictures you've taken. You're going to make a terrific photojournalist." Stefan said.

"But -"

"Tyler, please. I want to do this. Anyway, you're too late. Your mother has the paperwork, the money is already in a trust fund."

There was a pause whilst Tyler thought about it. When he spoke again, he sounded less worried, and a lot more pleased.

"Okay, okay. I give in! It's crazy generous of you, Stefan. Thank you."

"I've waited a long time to find a way to make things up to you. I'm glad I've found a way."

"Thank you, Stefan. I still can't believe I am accepting this. You're kinda crazy, you know that?" He laughed, and Stefan smiled.

"You'll let me come to your graduation?" He asked.

"Sure. I'll have a blood bag on ice ready for you." Tyler replied.

Stefan smiled. "Good luck, Tyler."

"Hey, thanks again."

"You're welcome."

Tyler hung up. As Stefan replaced the receiver he looked over to Jer, who stood with his arms crossed with a slight smile on his face.

"Are you happy now?" Jer asked him. Stefan nodded. "Yeah, I thought you would be." The boy added. "Want me to tell Elena?"

"That's not what I did it for."

"I know. But it wouldn't hurt for her to know you're putting Tyler through school, right?"

Stefan got up and walked over to the youngest Gilbert and threaded his arms around his waist.

"Tell her, or don't tell her. I don't care. I only care what _you_ think."

"Yeah well, it makes _my_ life easier having Elena think you've done the right thing for Tyler. Gold star by association." Jer smiled.

"Come back to bed."

"You're insatiable."

Stefan shook his head. "That's not true. It's just you. Something about you. Can't get enough." He shrugged.

"What's so special about me?" Jer replied, digging for the compliment he knew was sure to follow.

Stefan leaned in and kissed his neck, "You see the best in everyone. You don't judge people, you never have. You only let the people closest to you see the real you. And there is something about that that means I always feel privileged when you share something of yourself with me."

"You make me sound like a saint! I _sure_ ain't that." He laughed.

"Not a saint; but you do have that rare gift of a genuinely kind heart. I always hope that a bit of you will rub off on me, _if_ I spend enough time with you." He smiled into the boys neck, but Jer put his hands on Stefan's arms and pulled him back. His face became suddenly serious.

"Don't tell yourself you're not good a person Stefan. There is so much good in you."

"See. That is precisely why I love you." Stefan replied smiling.

Jer went quiet for a moment. He examined Stefan's face for signs of regret at having spoken those words. When he found none, he enquired shyly, "You love me?"

They had been together the best part of a year, but they had never uttered those words to each other.

Stefan ran his hand over the boy's cheek.

"Yes, Jer, I do."

* * *

><p>Damon woke up to an incredible noise which for all intents and purposes sounded like an earthquake.<p>

"What the hell?" Said Elena, already one step ahead of him, with a foot out of the bed and her robe half pulled on.

Suddenly Damon froze.

"Good God. It _can't_ be..."

Elena turned to face him with curiosity as she tied her robe firmly around her.

"What is it? What's going on?"

"Holy fuck, it is!" Damon exclaimed excitedly after listening for a moment more. He dressed at vampire speed and was out of the room before she even had a chance to open her mouth in confusion.

Elena found a pair of shoes and hurried to follow Damon's footsteps downstairs and out the front door.

* * *

><p>The noise was coming from their garage. Suddenly it stopped and Elena heard a massive cheer. She pulled her arms around herself to keep warm and went to investigate what the heck was going on.<p>

She found her garage door wide open and the Camaro parked outside. But it was what was inside that made her laugh.

Inside her garage was a fully lit stage, complete with band. Damon was stood with his arms around the drummer, practically pulling the man off his feet in a bear hug that caused the high-hat of the drum kit to vibrate noisily. Two other men were stood patting Damon on the back. He let go of the drummer and flung his arms around the base player and then the lead guitarist in turn. Damon then turned them both around to face her, one man under each arm. He had the biggest grin on his face she had seen for... well ever, now she came to think of it. She couldn't help but smile too.

"Elena, I want you to meet _The Darkness Inside_." Damon said.

"The Seattle Goth band?" She grinned. "Cool."

"Hey, we're not Goths. We're a rock band." Said the serious looking guitarist, who Damon introduced to her as Drew.

"Forgive me." Elena said with a smirk as she shook his hand. She introduced herself to the two others, then she began to frown suspiciously. "You guys all look _remarkably_ young for a band formed thirty years ago...".

"Yeeeah," Damon said as everyone began to exchange glances and shuffle their feet, "about that... How much blood do we happen to have in the house?"

She looked at each of them. "_All_ of you? Really?"

"You didn't tell her, D?" Drew said to Damon with a smile. Damon gave him a look, and then deliberately walked away to check out the mic stand that was set up.

Elena placed her balled fists on her hips. How was she supposed to accommodate this many vampires with no notice?

"Damon, a word please."

"Not now babe, don't you want to hear us play? The old band back together again!" Damon replied, getting a cheer from the boys. He grabbed the mike from the stand, tapped it and tested it was on. Elena shook her head. He was incorrigible.

He struck a pose. "I'd like to dedicate this song to my beautiful wife. It's called _The Disciples of the Blood Can Hear me Calling_."

Elena put her hand to her mouth to stifle a giggle.

* * *

><p>When she recounted the story to Jer later, the pair of them were laughing at Damon's expense.<p>

"So, what were they like?" Jer asked with a grin.

She shook her head. "_Awful_. Just awful."

"Hey! I'm right here you know." Damon sulked. "We were rusty, that's all. It's been thirty years. We need to rehearse. Tour a bit... Get back in the swing of it."

Elena shook her head and smiled, it was all talk and they knew it. Jer continued to laugh. Damon stood up and moved behind his wife, putting his hands on her shoulders and kissing the top of her head. "Shall I get drinks?" He asked. They nodded and he left for the kitchen, singing one of his songs at the top of his lungs.

Jer made a pained expression. "That bad?" He whispered.

Elena nodded. "Worse." She laughed.

"_I heard that!" _Came a disembodied voice.

She giggled. "Actually, they were all really nice guys. Drew, the lead guitarist said he didn't think they'd ever get to play together again. He said they had scattered to all corners of the earth, and then they all one day got mysterious airline tickets to Virginia. When they arrived, cars were waiting at the airport to take them to our garage, where the kit was already set up. Weird, huh? Damon swears he didn't know a thing about it."

"Ah..." Jer looked up. "I may be able to help with that."

"Really?" Elena said looking puzzled.

Damon rejoined them and handed them beers. "What do you know, Jeremy?" He asked suspiciously.

Jer reached into his back pocket and pulled out an envelope. He tried to straighten out the creases, but Damon whipped the letter out of his hand before he had a chance.

"Who's it addressed to?" Elena asked, standing and trying to read over Damon's shoulder.

"Me." Damon looked at his name in plain type on the envelope. He gave Jer a hard stare, but the boys' face gave nothing away. Damon turned the envelope over and ripped off the end and tipped the single sheet of paper into his hand.

The letter was handwritten, and they both knew as soon as they saw it who's hand it was.

"Damon," Damon read aloud, "I hope you will forgive my tardiness in giving you your wedding gift. I hope it is one that you enjoyed."

Damon stopped reading, so Elena continued, pushing her hair behind her ears as she read it out. "I know how much you used to love being in that cruddy band, (do you still have the eyeliner I wonder?). Perhaps this time you will finally get around to laying down that demo and doing the European tour. But maybe you should lay off the groupies now that you are an old married man!"

Elena balled her fists and stared at Damon with mock-indignation.

"He's joking. He knows damn well there were no groupies. We _famously_ had no groupies. No women at all in fact. What can I say? It was a dark time..." Damon shook his head, but he had a smile on his face.

"Producing that music, I can see why!" Elena laughed and Jer smiled too.

She returned her eyes to the letter and as she reached the bottom of the page, she took it from his hand and read the other side. "In all seriousness, I wanted to give you something special, because you deserve it. Not because you are my brother, but because you have been, and always will be, my best friend. I'm sorry for all the hurt I have caused you, Damon. I hope you know I'll always love you. Stefan."

Elena took a sideways look at Damon, who walked away. "Getting kinda soppy in his old age." He muttered as he sat down. She folded the letter carefully and pushed it back into the envelope. She handed it to Damon who tossed it nonchalantly on the table beside him. She looked at him, but he gave nothing away.

"Elena," Jer said, interrupting her thoughts.

She turned to face him, but noted from the corner of her eye that Damon's hand reached for his brother's letter and tucked it into his pocket.

"Stefan wanted me to give this to you too." Jer continued, handing her another crumpled envelope. Her name was also printed on the outside in a plain, typed font. She took it from him and went and sat next to Damon. She ran her fingers over the envelope carefully, as though she knew it contained something dangerous.

She flicked anxious eyes from her brother to her husband; when neither of them told her what to do or how to feel, there was nothing left to do but rip it open.

She tipped two, folded, stiff sheets of paper into her hand and pulled them open. Stefan's familiar copperplate script faced her.

"My Dearest Elena," She began reading aloud. When she glanced at Damon he didn't react, so she read on. "How do I begin what I need to say to you? Maybe there is only one way, and only one word that you need to hear - and that is sorry. And I am, Elena. Truly, truly sorry for what I did to you."

The words swam in front of her. She paused and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, it was her brother's eyes she met. Jer smiled softly to her, encouraging her to continue. She took a deep breath and read on.

"Every day I think I begin to understand a little more of what I did to you. Much of that is thanks to Jeremy, who has helped me in innumerable ways to face my demons and take responsibility for my actions. He doesn't realize quite how much he gives me strength." Elena and Damon glanced at Jer simultaneously. The boy bowed his head, suddenly bashful.

Elena continued. "I abused you terribly; your trust, your body, your kind-hearted soul. I stole a piece of your life from you. A piece I can never give back. How do I atone for that? In truth, I am not sure that I can. Nothing I can say or do will allow me to find a way to make it up to you. All I can hope for is that in time, you may come to accept that I have tried hard to learn and grow." She turned the first sheet over and continued on. "I don't deserve your forgiveness, so I don't ask it of you. I just want you to know how deeply ashamed I am of what I did to you."

Tears sprang into Elena's eyes as she read. The pain of what had happened to her was suddenly as fresh and raw as the day it occurred. She looked again at Damon, who continued to meet her gaze with an unreadable expression.

She forced herself to read on. "I lost you as a friend, but to my good fortune I have gained you as a sister-in-law. Elena, I know what you mean to Damon and what you do for him. I have never seen him so at peace. When I think of all the horror that I brought on you both, I am reconciled by the thought that at least you two found happiness. Damon may never be human again, (alas one more sin that I must atone for), but he has the humanity that you bring to him. He grows in spirit, heart and courage every day you are together."

She paused and took a breath. "Sometimes we fall far," she continued, "sometimes we cannot pick ourselves up alone. I know that you are there for Damon if he should ever fall. He could not ask for more."

By the time Elena had reached the end of the first sheet, both Jeremy and Damon seemed absorbed in their own thoughts. She read on.

"So, I call you 'sister' now and maybe one day I can hope again to call you 'friend'. And so, dear Elena, please accept this belated wedding gift in the spirit of brotherly love with which it is intended. I give this to you with my sincerest and deepest wish for your joy. May your life with Damon only ever be happy. Stefan."

She let her hands drop to her knees for a moment. Her heart was beating wildly in the silence.

"What's the gift?" Jer asked after a moment.

"You don't know?" She asked surprised.

He shook his head. "He just asked me to deliver the letters, I didn't know what was in them."

She looked down and with shaking hands examined the second sheet of paper. It was another letter, but this one was typed.

"Dear Mr and Mrs Salvatore, my name is Angela White, I am an MD and professor of Gynecology and Reproductive Health at the University College Hospital in Edinburgh, Scotland. I recently met your brother Stefan by chance whilst I was on an extended teaching exchange with the University of Virginia Medical School. Suffice to say that we became firm friends during my stay. I intend to visit in the Spring with him and his partner Jeremy and hope they will come to my own home town in Scotland too one day.

"It is in my capacity as Stefan's friend that I feel compelled to write to you. In discussion, Stefan quite moved me with a tale of a couple he knew and clearly cared about, who had found themselves unable to have children. He said a rare illness suffered by the man in his twenties meant he would never be able to father a child of his own. Given my field of medical expertise, of course I pushed for further information to see if I could offer my professional opinion. 'Ask this couple to come for a consultation with me', I said, but he would hear none of it. He claimed it would be an imposition on our friendship. I am ashamed to say that I badgered poor Stefan because I became convinced I could help this couple.

"You see my own beloved husband, Charles, died two years ago after a long and protracted battle to recover from an injury which had become infected. Charles was a great man. Not just a medical doctor, but a brilliant academic, a gifted sportsman and musician, and a very loving husband. He so wanted us to have children, even if he would not be there to see them grown up. Before he passed, we jointly took the decision to freeze his sperm. After he died I tried to follow his wishes, but in an ironic turn of fate it turns out that I myself am infertile.

"I think you know now why I have written to you, and why I begged Stefan to let me know the identity of this couple that he so dearly loved..."

Elena's voice petered out. She could read no more. She put the pages onto her lap with shaking hands and looked at Damon.

Jer got up. "I'll just leave you guys alone for a while. Let you talk." He walked from the room.

Elena cast her eyes anxiously over to the vampire at her side. When Damon looked at her, he finally allowed some sign of the emotion he had been fighting to enter his face.

When he smiled, it was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud.

* * *

><p>It was love at first sight.<p>

As soon as the tiny fingers curled around his little finger, Damon was completely smitten. Despite Elena's exhaustion, the sight of it filled her with overwhelming joy.

Damon lifted the tiny pink bundle from her arms into his own and lay the gentlest of kisses upon his daughter's head. He walked with her in his arms to the window so he could see her better in the light. He marveled at her perfection; the little fingers and toes that seemed impossibly small.

At that moment a nurse knocked and entered and asked Elena whether she was happy to receive the visitors who had been waiting 'impatiently' outside. "They paced so much, I think they've made a groove in the linoleum!" She joked. Elena told her to bring them in.

"Are you going to bring our daughter back for me to cuddle?" Elena asked the besotted father, who was now singing softly to his little girl whilst rocking her in his arms. He slowly returned to Elena's side, kissing his daughter again before he parted with her.

There was a knock, then two excitable faces appeared at the door.

"Can we come in?" Jer asked.

Elena nodded happily. Jer walked in first, closely followed by Stefan, who was carrying an enormous bouquet of flowers. They both went straight to Damon and there was much hugging, patting of backs and happy laughter. Stefan tucked a cigar into Damon's top pocket.

Jer turned to his sister, leaned down and kissed her softly on the forehead and then very tentatively put his fingers on the baby's blanket and looked for the first time at his niece's face.

"Hello little one. I'm your Uncle Jeremy." He said and then pointed at Stefan. "And that's your Uncle Stefan."

"Yeah, it's gonna be fun explaining _that_ when she's older." Damon joked. Elena tossed him a look.

Stefan placed the flowers on a spare chair and hovered uncomfortably in the background, not sure how welcome he was. Elena smiled at him. "Stefan, would you like to hold her?"

Every eye turned his way and waited for his response.

"Can I?"

"Of course. You're her Uncle!" She said. Jer grinned at them both, then stepped back to let Stefan gently and somewhat nervously take the baby from Elena's hands.

"She's beautiful, Elena." Stefan said, looking down at the bundle in his arms.

"Hey!" Jer suddenly exclaimed. "I almost forgot, I brought you guys a gift."

"You did?"

Jer pulled a rumpled package out of his back pocket and gave it to his sister. It was something small and soft. Elena ripped the paper open and began to laugh.

"What's funny?" Damon asked. She lifted up the baby vest and turned it to face him. It was black, and on the front in Gothic writing read the legend '_The Darkness Inside_, No.1 fan!'

Even Damon smiled. "Finally, a fan at last! And a female one at that."

The baby started mewling and Stefan anxiously returned her to her mother. "I really should feed her." Elena said. She looked up at Jer and Stefan, who took a moment to get the hint.

"Oh, oh! Sure. We we're just leaving now anyway. We'll come back tomorrow once you've had some rest." Jer replied. He leaned over and kissed both baby and mother again.

"Congratulations, brother!" Stefan said shaking Damon by the hand. "You deserve this."

"Thank you." Damon replied. Suddenly he took both Stefan's hands in his and he pulled him closer. To Stefan's surprise he saw Damon's eyes fill with tears. "Stefan, I mean it. Thank you. For all this."

Stefan was taken aback and didn't quite know what to say. Damon rarely allowed himself to get emotional like this. He felt a lump in his own throat. He nodded, adding his other hand to the handshake. After a while, they both gently pulled their hands away. Stefan leaned in and gave Damon a hug and there was much slapping of backs again as if to cover up their moment of sentiment. Stefan turned away from his brother, walked over to Elena and kissed the baby, who could smell Elena's milk and was beginning to cry.

"I wish you much happiness." He said to Elena with a gentle smile. He kissed her forehead quickly, then exited the room before his own emotions got the better of him.

Elena and Damon barely had time to exchange glances before Jer popped his head back around the door, "Hey, I'm a total idiot, I forgot to ask her name!"

Damon looked at him. "Luciana Miranda Salvatore."

"Luciana..." Jer whispered with appreciation. "Pretty. What does it mean?"

"Light." Stefan answered, suddenly re-appearing at his side. "It was also the name of our mother." He looked at his brother with a sad smile.

"Miranda was the name of our mother too." Jer replied looking at his sister with his own smile. She returned it with one of her own.

The men said their final goodbyes and left. Elena slipped open her gown, and encouraged the baby to nuzzle at her breast. Damon softly stroked Luciana's head as she fed.

"She has your eyes." He said.

Elena shifted the baby's angle as she felt some discomfort. "Well as long as she doesn't get your teeth!" She joked. Damon smiled. They both knew the baby wouldn't share any of his physical characteristics, but he would never feel she was anything but his.

He settled on the bed, curling in beside his little family and putting a protective arm around them.

"Poor kid." He said. "A vampire for a daddy and a doppelgänger for a mom. What a life."

"Poor kid nothing!" Elena replied. "She's the luckiest little girl in the world. Well, the second luckiest that is..."

Elena turned to face her husband with a smile. He kissed her hair and pulled her closer. He never felt happier in his life.


	20. Chapter 20

**Thanks for reading and all your reviews. **

**This is the end of In the Hour Before Dawn - I hope you enjoy it.**

**Please check out my new collab with the lovely & talented LastDayofMagic, which is a sexy little tale of Stefan and Rebekah and what they get up to when her dagger gets pulled out. ****It's called "How Dark it Gets" and is posted under the author name silverfoxofmagic.**

**A/N - this chap is a bit violent.**

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

"What? Speak up."

The hybrid called Max put a finger in his ear as the party raged on in the background. He'd found Klaus' cell phone ringing in the Original's jacket pocket. Max thought he should probably answer it, as his maker was busy with a girl.

"I said I need to speak to Mr Klaus, please."

"Klaus, you've got a call." The hybrid called out, holding out the cell to the Original.

"What? You can see I am busy." Klaus complained, taking more blood from the neck of the terrified girl who shuddered in his lap. "Who is it anyway?"

"I don't know, but he keeps calling you 'Mister Klaus'." Max snorted, finding that amusing.

The Original was by his side in a flash and snatched the cell from the hybrid's hands. The girl decided to make a run for it despite the fact she could barely stand. She slipped on her own blood spatter as she ran.

"Can somebody please deal with that?" Klaus snapped to the assembled room. In no time at all, a pair of hybrids took off after the girl and felled her before she got to the door.

Klaus took a beat, then answered his call, "Mr Annej, how nice to hear from you."

"Hello sir, I'm sorry to bother you so late."

"I assume you have information, Annej. What is it?"

"I believe I have a lead, sir -"

"One minute..." Klaus turned to the room full of his followers and yelled at them to shut up. The music was switched off and the room fell immediately quiet. He returned his ear to his phone. "Yes?"

"There has been a birth in Jackson, Mississippi that got my attention."

"A birth?"

"Yes. It wasn't registered through the correct channels - or if it ever was then the parents did a good job of wiping those records - but they missed one thing. They may have destroyed all the _official_ records, but the midwife kept her own paperwork. Every baby she's ever brought into the world she registers on a personal spreadsheet that she stores in on an online server called Miracle. Miracle is heavily encrypted, but my team have ways around that. I had notification of a positive hit from one of our hot tags that popped up our servers last week."

"A 'hot tag'?" Klaus queried.

"A word of interest, Mr Klaus. The tag that bounced up, was the name 'Salvatore'."

"Why didn't you call me right away?"

"It's not an uncommon name, Mr Klaus, I wanted to be sure before I involved you. Now, I believe we have achieved a solid lead. The name was for a baby called Luciana Miranda Salvatore..."

Klaus went quiet for so long, his agent wasn't sure he was still there.

"Mr Klaus? Mr Klaus, do you want me to continue?" The voice said.

When the Original spoke, his voice was full of malice, "Please do." He commanded.

"On further investigation it appears that the midwife only keeps baby names and dates of birth, not the addresses of her patients, which would be a breach of confidentiality. My tech team were able to take a look at hospital records. You see all medical staff are obliged to keep half-hourly records of their movements in order to ensure correct insurance billing. Under our midwife's name on that date, there are two live births registered at the hospital, but according to the shift records, our midwife has a four hour time slot completely unaccounted for. Those time records had been systematically wiped. However we were able to access the CCTV for the missing hours. The birth room is private and without cameras, however the visitor waiting room is not." Mr Annej knew he had his client on tenterhooks, he paused to add a touch of dramatic tension, "Mr Klaus, I believe I have a positive ID on Stefan Salvatore and Jeremy Gilbert. I've sent selective footage to your dropbox account."

Klaus' right eye developed a twitch, "Go on..."

"I have reason to believe that Stefan Salvatore is in a relationship with Jeremy Gilbert."

"You do?"

"They embraced on camera, sir."

"Interesting -"

"We've had a phone tap on the Gilbert boy for weeks, but he never slipped. We thought Stefan Salvatore had left town, but it is clear now that he moved back, and because we didn't know where to look for him, he never showed up in our records. _If_ he uses a phone, it certainly isn't his home phone, or the cell you gave him, Mr Klaus," he took a breath. "We already had the Gilbert boy's car fitted with a tracking device, but without anything to cross reference it with, we had no way to know what his journeys related to,"

"And now you believe that he is going to Jackson... to visit his sister and her baby girl?"

"Not exactly, sir,"

"No?"

"The birth was done out of state to throw a false lead. They haven't left Virginia, sir. They're in Staunton."

Klaus held the phone to his forehead for a moment, before he spoke again. The Gilbert girl was alive. He had been tricked. _Stefan_ had tricked him.

"Please tell me you have an address?"

"440 Stokesville Road, Mount Solon-"

Klaus slammed the phone down and felt for his car keys.

* * *

><p>"So? Don't keep us in suspense, did he take the bait?" Damon asked.<p>

Ric removed the handkerchief from the handset and put the phone down. He turned to face the assembled group and he gave his best friend a smile.

The room erupted into cheers.

"Please Jer, don't do it."

"Elena, this is my choice and I've made it. I know you don't like it, but you yourself told me you can't live your life for someone else - I'm just taking your advice."

She was about to begin arguing with him when they were interrupted by a baby's unhappy mewl.

"Elena, somebody wants mommy." Damon said wearily, walking into the room jogging a crying Luciana on his shoulder.

"I expressed some milk this morning, have you tried that?" She let Jer go and moved over to her crying little girl.

"She has been fed, winded, played with and changed. I can do no more. The problem is not her father, it is clearly that she is your daughter and therefore genetically prone to being trying and difficult," he quipped. "_And_, she's a woman - so who knows what's wrong? Could be anything."

Jer smiled. Elena rolled her eyes and went to retrieve her little girl from Damon's custody.

"What's the matter?" she cooed, "is mean old Daddy being gwumpy?"

Damon pulled a face, "Nothing to do with me. If we have a devil child it is entirely your fault."

"Is he always like this?" Jer asked Elena with his eyebrow raised. She soothed the baby, jogging her on her shoulder and rubbing her hand over her back.

"No. Most of the time he's worse. If Lucie does anything naughty, then she's _my_ child - when she does something clever, guess who's child she is then?"

Elena gave her husband a wry smile, and although Damon's expression didn't change a bit, Jer could see that his eyes were filled with love for them both. It made him happy to see it.

Elena continued walking around with Lucie on her shoulder, "She's tired, Damon," she now addressed the baby, "which is daddy's fault because he can't let you go to sleep without waking you up for a bit more play time, isn't that so little lady?"

"Lucie's a night owl, like me. She likes a glass of Scotch and a trip up onto the rooftop before bed."

"You're incorrigible, Damon Salvatore." Elena complained light-heartedly.

"You love it." He reached out and grabbed her on her next pass, kissing the baby and then her.

"I'm going to put her down," Elena said, and then turned to face Jeremy, "but don't think that you and I have finished our conversation, mister."

Jer sighed and rolled his eyebrows. "There is nothing left to say, Elena."

"Say goodnight to your niece." She instructed, ignoring that comment. He went over and cupped the babies head, kissing her crown of almost white blonde hair.

"Goodnight little one. Tell your mommy to stop being so bossy would you?"

Stefan suddenly appeared from behind Jeremy. "Hey you guys, what is taking you so long? We are all waiting for you."

"Nothing. Come on, I'm ready." Jer took Stefan's arm and pulling him back into the room he had just come from. Damon followed.

* * *

><p>"You know Jer, it's not too late to change your mind. This life, it's not easy," Caroline said, happy to admit the truth that her vampire life had been tougher than expected.<p>

"I've thought about nothing else for months, Care. I think I have every base covered."

"You know we can protect you if you stay human. It's not just Stefan who has your back." Damon added.

Jer looked at the man that once broke his neck and gave him a smile. "Thanks man, I know that."

"Don't even bother - I've tried every argument. He won't listen." Stefan interceded, looking unhappy.

Jer took his hand. "That's right, you have, so you know my mind is made up. Come on, let's get this thing over with."

"Come and sit down then." Stefan said with a sigh. He took him to the couch where Matt was sitting, and Matt got up to give them space. Jer lay down so that his head rested on Stefan's lap and his feet were stretched out along the chair. Jer looked up into Stefan's sea green eyes and smiled as the vampire brushed his hair from his face with the tips of his fingers. Caroline and Bonnie exchanged glances, but neither of them said anything. Stefan too was silent; Jer already knew the reservations and uncertainties running through the vampires' mind.

"It's gonna be fine..." Jer whispered tenderly to him, and Stefan nodded despite his misgivings.

Elena came back in the room carrying a baby monitor. She went to place it on the table, but as soon as she did, the distinct sounds of crying made themselves known, "Oh damn it. Jer, I'm so sorry. Will you wait for me?" She made to leave again, but Damon stopped her.

"Spend some time with your brother before he is dead." He remarked almost cheerfully before leaving the room.

"Not helping, Damon!" She called after him. Caroline went and put an arm around her shoulder and even Carol gave her a sympathetic smile. Carol picked up her hand and patted. "He didn't mean that the way it sounded."

"He's just trying to do the best for you. We all are." Sheriff Forbes added.

"I know Sheriff and I appreciate it, I do. It's just... Well, you all being here today and Jer doing this, it kind of reminds me that our safety here until Klaus is dead, is an illusion."

"Not for much longer, Elena. You have my word on that. This took a lot of planning, I'll get the son of a bitch if it's the last thing I do." Ric replied.

Elena nodded sadly, hoping that his words wouldn't turn out to be prophetic.

She left Caroline's embrace and walked over to where Jer lay, took one of his hands and knelt down beside him on the floor. Stefan reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, needing her tense muscles. She covered Stefan's hand with her free one - grateful for the comfort he offered her. Every day they grew closer as friends and the awkwardness was all but gone.

"It's his choice." Stefan reminded her gently and she nodded, unhappy but content to refrain from comment.

"Elena I love you, but you have to let me live my life. I want to do this, for me, for Stefan, for Damon, Lucie and you. Especially you."

Stefan removed his hand from her shoulder as she slowly stood up. She nodded to Jer, a sign that she conceded defeat. She would never be happy about his decision, but she had done her best to dissuade him. Over the past weeks they had every level of discussion about it, from reasoned debate to heated arguments. She knew his mind was made up.

Damon walked into the room carrying Lucie, who was calm and wide-eyed awake on his shoulder. Elena gave him a look that said 'really?'

"What? She didn't want to sleep, did you sweetheart? You wanted to see Uncle Jeremy get killed and turn into a vampire, isn't that right little one..." he cooed, "Who's got your nose? Has daddy got your nose?" He waggled his thumb between his forefingers, and Lucie gurgled back at him, making him smile. He rubbed his nose against hers, breathing in her baby scent.

Elena glared at him with her hands on her hips, "Have you gone _entirely_ mad? She is not watching this!"

"Elena, Lucie is being brought up by a vampire; I think sheltering her from this event is neither a good or desirable thing." Damon replied.

"Please, Elena, let her stay. I want her with us. With all of us." Jer pleaded. She turned around to face her brother once more, walked slowly over to him and kissed his forehead. Stroking his warm cheek one last time, she said, "I don't agree with what you are doing, but I respect your right to choose. And if you want Lucie here, then I guess she can stay." She looked at Stefan, "Stefan, can I hold his hand?" He nodded.

"Jer, I'm going to ask you one last time. Are you sure about this?" Stefan said, searching the deep pools of the boy's eyes. Jer nodded.

Stefan leaned down and kissed his lips gently, "I'll always remember the last time I got to kiss you as a human."

Damon rocked his little girl in the crook of his arm. She grabbed his hair and pulled at it unrelentingly. He winced and uncurled her fingers, moving over the room to place his hand on his wife's shoulder. She threaded her hand into his and squeezed his fingers tight.

"Ready?" Stefan asked Jer, who nodded, "I'll see you on the other side." Stefan finished.

He let his teeth come and bit into his wrist, then pressed the open wound quickly to the boy's lips. Jer met his eyes, his pupils growing wide as Stefan's blood coursed into him. Elena gripped his other hand tight as tears blurred her vision.

"That's enough for now." Stefan said. Jer spluttered as Stefan suddenly pulled his wrist away. The wound healed immediately.

Stefan placed his hands on either side of Jer's head and paused. The boy looked at him with love in his eyes.

"I'll see you on the other side." Jer repeated back to him and gave him a loving smile.

Stefan did it quickly. Damon felt his fingers crushed by his wife as she heard the snap of Jer's neck breaking. She burst into tears, which in turn made the baby also cry. Elena let go of her brother's hand, staggered to her feet and made a move to leave the room. But Damon, who jiggled the baby with one hand, pulled her back with the other.

"Stay," he said, "Don't leave now, he'll want you to be here when he wakes up. The worst is over."

"No," she retorted, "the worst is just beginning."

"Then be here to help him through, Elena. He needs you." Damon insisted.

She looked at Luciana, whose face was scrunched up into an angry wail. She placed her hand on her tummy, leaned in and kissed her which helped her to settle. Damon persuaded her to return to Jer's side once more. She knelt down and took her brother's cold, lifeless hand in hers.

"Stefan, he'll need to be under control when he wakes up," Damon said to his brother, casting warning eyes over to him, "Lucie needs her Uncle to stay cool..."

"He'll be fine, Damon, I promise. Neither of us would put Lucie at risk."

Suddenly Jer woke up with a start, inhaling rapidly like he had surfaced from water. Elena looked worried, but Damon merely kissed his baby and rocked her until her tears stopped.

"I knew you'd be the first person I'd see..." Jer said smiling up into Stefan's eyes.

"How do you feel?" Stefan asked him, a slight smile of his own playing on his lips.

"Fine. Erm, a bit weird actually."

Stefan smiled leaned down and kissed him. "No change there then," he teased. "Hey, before I forget, Bonnie made you this." He handed Jer his own daylight ring, and Jer slipped it on his finger.

He looked up at Bonnie, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She said, shifting her feet. Ric gave her a smile.

"Jer?" Elena interrupted, her voice concerned. Jer sat upright and looked at her, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I feel - good. Strong."

"I'll go get you some blood." She got to her feet. He still had hold of her hand and he didn't let go.

"No, not yet. Stay. Please..."

She looked at him and then knelt back down.

"Can I hold Lucie?" Jer suddenly asked. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense. Damon looked wary. He cast his eyes to Elena, who looked deeply concerned.

"Perhaps you should feed first," Damon suggested subtly. Stefan said nothing, he merely sat back and watched with eyes that gave nothing away.

"I won't hurt her."

Damon hesitated.

"Damon, no." Elena said firmly.

"Jer, I'm sorry but -" Damon began.

"Elena," Jer interrupted, "I'm not going to hurt Lucie. She means the world to me. Please, I'm asking you to trust me..." He put his hand on her shoulder and she looked deep into his eyes. She turned back to Damon and nodded once to him.

Damon seemed less than certain too. Still he hesitated, wondering if Stefan could do what was necessary to keep his little girl alive should Jer lose control.

He took a step forwards and held out the baby, who instinctively reached out for Jer. As soon as he took her from Damon's arms, Jer's features changed. Elena jumped up and Damon dashed towards him at speed, but Stefan put his arm protectively in front of Jer, and everyone in the room froze.

"It's just instinct. He will learn to control it. Damon, you know it doesn't mean anything. Everyone be calm."

Elena remained tense and didn't move but Damon did a good job of pretending to relax. Jer took a deep breath and his features returned to normal. He took Lucie in his arms and kissed her forehead. She grabbed at his nose, and he yelped, "Ouch! I thought _I_ was supposed to be the monster?" he joked. "And how come that hurts? Aren't we supposed to be like, super-invulnerable?"

"I know, it's weird." Damon agreed smiling.

Everyone relaxed. Elena stroked Jer's calf as if to tell him all was okay with her. Jer played with Lucie for a couple of minutes without incident and then handed her to her mom.

"Come on, let's get that blood now. Guys, we'll be outside," Stefan said standing.

He and Jer left the room, and Damon looked at Elena. "You okay?"

She nodded, "I guess one more vampire in the house isn't going to make any difference."

"As long as I stay your number one." He said.

"As if you really need me to tell you the answer to that." She reached up to kiss him.

* * *

><p>Stefan took Jer outside. When he had him in Elena's secret garden, Jer moved to look at his reflection by the pond.<p>

"You were right, they did freak out."

"But I knew if you could get Elena to accept you holding Lucie as soon as you turned, then she will always trust you. Damon too. You needed to do it."

Jer nodded. "I feel kinda bad though. It felt like a test."

Stefan walked over to him and threaded an arm around his neck. "It wasn't a test, it was a rehearsal. They need to know that around Lucie you will always be safe."

"How did you know I _would_ be? I mean, I could have lost control."

"Because you are you. And you don't hurt people, even when they sometimes deserve it. Otherwise, you and I wouldn't be here now." Stefan kissed him, and let his tongue slip between Jer's lips. The boy moaned his approval before easing himself away.

"I feel odd... powerful. Taller somehow!" He laughed. "But it's strange. It's like nothing has changed and yet everything has. I feel like I could do anything."

Stefan lifted the boy's chin, "Show me," he said looking deep into Jer's eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Do something. Anything."

"Like what?"

"Jump onto that roof."

"From here? You can't be serious!"

Stefan leaned forwards and stole another kiss. He placed a hand between Jer's legs and squeezed, causing Jer to pull back with surprise.

"What was that for? Not that I'm complaining or anything-"

"Want more?" Stefan had a mischievous look in his eyes, "Then come and get it!" In a flash he was gone, and Jer spotted him up on the roof.

He smiled.

* * *

><p>"What was that?" Elena said looking up as the second thud sounded above her.<p>

"Nothing."

"What is it, Damon?"

"It's time for us to get ready." Damon switched on some music and turned up the volume.

Elena looked at Damon suspiciously, wondering what he could hear that she couldn't. She looked at Caroline too, who quickly became deeply interested in her fingernails.

"I'm just going to take a blood bag out to them-" Elena said slowly, testing for his response.

Damon put a restraining hand on her arm. "Take Lucie upstairs, it's time, Elena."

"I suppose so..." She suddenly seemed reluctant to part with her.

"Buona notte, little one. Ti voglio bene." Damon said, kissing both mother and child. "Guys, we need to get ready." He said to the assembled group.

* * *

><p>Klaus had to wait until dark. If he didn't, the neighbors would see and he intended to work swift and fast and leave nothing to chance.<p>

He had wired his agent's account with a fat bonus this morning. Mr Annej had lived up to his reputation; he had done good work and Klaus always rewarded those he was pleased with.

Now he sat with his legs neatly crossed, sipping tea from a china cup as he watched the house across the road. The little old lady he had compelled to let him in, now called up the stairs to him, "Another cup of tea, Mr Klaus?"

"No thank you, Irene. I shall be leaving shortly, I have things to do..." he added darkly.

The next time she would hear about her neighbor's house, would be on the morning news. And she would be shocked that she could remember nothing of that night. Least of all the screams. On second thoughts, perhaps she wouldn't be around to see the news.

Klaus had seen enough. Elena had put the baby to bed, and he could tell that Jer and Stefan were in the house. He was surprised that the curtains in the lounge had been closed all day, but he thought nothing much of it. Elena and Damon seemed to come go back and forth to the bedroom, and at one stage, Damon had made up a spare room bed. Apart from the music playing, all seemed quiet in the house. It was ideal.

* * *

><p>When he rang the doorbell, Elena answered. She nearly had a heart attack when she saw him. She staggered back into her hallway, her hand covering her chest. Damon must have heard her stumble as he zoomed into the hall to join her.<p>

"Hello, Elena. I see that tales of your death have been much exaggerated. How lovely to see you alive and well."

"Klaus!" She stammered.

"Get out of here, Klaus." Damon growled. He put himself between Elena and the door. "You can't come in here."

"Oh really. I think you'll find that as of this morning, your lawyer had a sudden change of heart about the ownership of this property. And now all three of us are partners. Isn't that nice?" He stepped over the threshold and Elena made a dive for the stairs. She didn't get far when Klaus had her on her back, his hand on her chest. "Take one step more Damon, and I rip out her heart."

"What do you want?" Damon responded coldly.

"Well, you kinda rained on my parade, so I think it's only fair if I return the compliment. So I'll be taking your baby, if it's all the same to you. I am sure her blood will be just as useful as her mommy's here."

"Damon, don't let him take Lucie!" Elena begged. Damon's eyes flicked from her's to Klaus's.

"Shhh, shhh," Klaus soothed, "I'm a good baby sitter. It will be just like a fairy tale," he lowered his mouth so it was just above hers, his fists wrapped in the fabric of her vest, "only I will be the wicked uncle. So Damon, what's your choice? You can't keep them both. Elena, or Luciana, which is it gonna be? Ooh, this is exciting isn't it?"

As he finished his sentence, the baby began to cry, and Klaus's head shot up. "Oh, it appears we have woken the poor little thing. I'll go soothe her shall I?" He was gone in a flash. Damon went after him, leaping over Elena and taking the stairs four at a time. He burst into the room at light speed to find Stefan holding Lucie in his arms wrapped in a soft pink baby blanket.

"You're not taking my niece, Klaus."

Klaus laughed. "As if you could stop me!" He began to laugh and but his laugh was cut off as Jer appeared behind him and stuck a huge stake in his heart. Klaus began to cough up blood, but he punched Jer away hard and pulled the stake out. There was a sickening crunch as Jer crumpled into a corner, his neck broken. Damon appeared in the doorway with Elena, who was crying out Jer's name and begging Klaus to kill her instead and leave her baby. Klaus looked at the rough wooden stake in his hands. "You think that an ordinary stake is going to kill me?" He asked no-one in particular.

"Nope, we think the fact that you are a vain, self-obsessed asshole, is going to kill you." Damon replied.

Klaus made a lurch for the baby, and Stefan threw her to Damon, causing Elena to cry out. Damon cradled Lucie in his arms, and took off like a jet with Klaus close on his heels. Elena hurried to Jer's side and helped him to his feet.

"Did it work?" He said rubbing the back of his neck as he healed. She nodded.

"Good, I hate that bastard." Jer complained. His sister's face changed and became a little darker, until it became obvious that it was not his sister at all who he was speaking to. "Katherine," he said, "thanks for doing this."

"No problem kid. Nobody wants Klaus dead more than I do," she replied. "Now, where is the real Lucie? I have a job to do."

"She's with Elena hiding in the attic, I'll go get her." Stefan replied.

* * *

><p>In the garden, Damon had his back against a hedge in Elena's secret garden and Klaus was slowly approaching him with a smile of victory on his lips. Lucie was crying, and Damon rocked her and shushed her.<p>

"I can't believe you were arrogant enough to think you would know how to kill an Original." Klaus said, throwing his arms wide.

"Oh, you're absolutely right," Damon replied, "I have no idea. That's why I thought we'd just try everything..."

Klaus barely had time to look confused when Ric stepped out and shot him with a crossbow bolt through the chest. Before he could angrily tear the arrow out, Caroline thrust a massive stake through his heart from behind and then dodged away so the Sheriff could fill his chest with wooden bullets. Just as he was staggering backwards, Damon let the blanket drop from his baby. He held 'Lucie' by the hand, and let the rest of her dangle towards the ground. It was clearly a doll and the recorded voice inside it got stuck on a loop, crying intermittently.

"What? You look surprised Klaus, you think I'd put my child at risk? Look up there." He pointed at the rooftop. Katherine was sat on the roof holding the real baby, who was sleeping soundly as she was used to being up there. Katherine waved.

Klaus' face registered the shock, but already he was pulling out the wood from his back, and the bolt from his chest. Matt hurled a wolfsbane grenade at his feet, which made him scream, but still he stayed upright.

"You know, we all knew that your arrogance would be the one thing that would trip you up. You had to think you were better than us, smarter than us. Well guess what buddy, sure isn't looking that way from where I stand." Damon shrugged.

"No! I caught you! I found you!" Klaus spluttered in response.

"Oh that's right, you found us, that pesky midwife and her spreadsheet. Gee I guess I should be more careful next time I have a child. I reckon I'll make sure there are no records next time for your Mr Annej to find. Isn't that right Mr Annej?"

"Definitely, Damon." Ric said, using his Mr Annej voice.

"But... but Annej - the recommendations..?" Klaus spluttered.

"Stefan spent a long time tracking down and compelling some really nasty people. But it was worth it to get those recommendations. Oh and that CCTV footage at the hospital."

"I'll kill you all!" Yelled Klaus, staggering forwards. Carol Lockwood suddenly flung vervain in his face. She jumped backwards, a bit shocked at herself, but Damon gave her a reassuring smile as Klaus fell to his knees clutching at his face.

"Mr 'Annej' - that is such an odd name... Where is that from, Ric? Polish? Swedish?" Damon asked his friend.

"It's Jenna spelled backwards," Ric answered, "You know, my girlfriend who you brutally killed you asshole!" He shot another bolt at Klaus, which buried itself into the hybrid's neck.

Klaus struggled to breathe, but he fought to find his words anyway, clutching at the arrow. He fell forwards until he was on all fours, but with Herculean effort got back onto his knees.

"I will hunt you down, and kill all your families!" He managed to say despite choking up his own blood.

"Will you now? Just like you killed Jeremy you mean?"

"Yes!"

"The trouble is Klaus, I'm right here," Jer interrupted, "and I'm kinda pissed that you killed my Aunt, threatened my sister and my boyfriend, and tried to kidnap my niece."

"But, but... I killed you?"

"You're really not very bright are you?" Damon said. "Show him, Jer." Jer sprang in front of the hybrid and showed him his new, vampire, face. Klaus looked shocked, he clawed with bloody hands at the gunshot wounds, trying to pull out the wood.

"And I am really glad that I'm a vampire now, because I have the strength to do this," Jer pulled out from behind his back a large meat cleaver, and he swung it at the hybrid's head as hard as he could, decapitating him in one swift move.

The sound of the head smacking to the floor and the body flopping down after, was the only thing that broke the silence. Nobody moved.

Eventually Katherine carefully leapt down from the roof and handed Damon his sleeping baby. She walked over and picked up Klaus' head by the hair.

"Yep, he's dead," she announced. "Ain't nobody coming back from this." She finished confidently, dropping it to the floor again. Bonnie shuddered.

"Yeah, well. We stick to the plan." Damon said, kicking the body over and trying to take the cleaver that Jer seemed reluctant to part with, "You can let it go now, Jer." He said softly, as the boy seemed to be in a state of shock.

Damon handed Sheriff Forbes the baby and he walked over to the body. "We cut him into pieces, Bonnie magically burns each one and then each of you take the ashes somewhere none of the others know. Just like we said."

He looked down at the headless body bleeding into the gravel, and was surprised to notice he too was shaking. Suddenly he felt a friendly hand on his shoulder, "Leave this to me, brother. You go and see Elena. She'll be waiting for you."

Damon turned around and looked into his brother's eyes. Stefan removed the cleaver from his hands. The sheriff handed him Lucie back, and he walked away from the scene without turning back.

* * *

><p>In the dark Damon and Elena both had their arms around each other, and even though she normally slept in a crib beside their bed, Lucie lay between them fast asleep. Damon stroked the baby's hair gently and neither parent said anything for the longest time, they just looked from Lucie to each other.<p>

"So this is what it feels like to be free." Damon eventually said.

"You don't think Elijah will come after us?"

"No, I don't think so. He knows he did wrong by you."

Damon carefully pulled his wife closer. Lucie woke up and began to cry for milk. Elena began to feed her. Damon watched in silence for a while.

"I'd like to take you traveling. See some of the world. There is so much I want to share with you," he turned onto his side and leaned on his arm, "Just for a few months, maybe a year. And when we get back, I'd like us to think about having another baby, if you want to-"

Elena looked at him, her eyes shining, "Really?"

He nodded. "You two are my life now. When Klaus told me I had to chose between you, I knew that I would never let either of you go. You're my everything." He leaned forwards and kissed her. "And besides, I think it would be nice for Lucie to have someone to grow up with. You and I would be nowhere if it weren't for our siblings." He admitted.

"Yeah, they really came through for us didn't they?" She admitted. He nodded.

"I know tonight was hard for you; watching Jer become a vampire, letting Katherine take Lucie, knowing what had to be done to Klaus... but I can't imagine anyone handling it as well as you. You're amazing. I really don't know what I've done to deserve you."

She reached up and placed a hand on his cheek and looked deep into his eyes. "Damon, Lucie and I could not be happier. We love you too."


End file.
